Full disclosure, I teach the Firearms Safety Courses in the Powell River area, and have done so for 23 years ["North Island-Powell River MP pleased by gun amendment removal," February 3].
The reasons these amendments were removed was indeed due to the furor that erupted over them, but I dispute the fact that the NDP had much to do with it. The simple fact is that the Trudeau Liberals threw as much gun ban as they could at the wall to see what will stick, and they will be back with a rearranged set of amendments later.
Why I wonder, are they so desperate to remove all the “legally” owned firearms?
As a lawful and respectful firearms owner for almost four decades, this bill leaves an odour I cannot remove. My firearms have never been “on the streets” yet the Trudeau Liberals blame us and our firearms for their blatant misuse by criminals, drug dealers and gangs. While doing little to prevent those criminal activities, they are prepared to spend billions, if you consider the logistics involved, to ban, collect and destroy most legally owned firearms, while at the same time reducing or removing minimum sentencing for firearms crimes, including robbery with, and illegally pointing or threatening with a firearm.
Why not spend those billions on solving the actual problems of crime and smuggling, instead of just preening and virtue signalling?
Another aspect not even considered is legal handgun owners under this bill will have their lawfully purchased valuable property, which they cannot sell or trade anymore, seized from their grieving widows as soon as they die. What has the firearms community done to deserve this disgusting treatment?
If you check statistics, you will find that lawful firearms owners are less likely to commit crimes than even police officers. Why then are we the proverbial whipping boys for this failed government, one that can only continue its bumbling ineptitude on everything, because of support from the NDP.
They say we always get the government we deserve. Perhaps we should start taking long looks in our mirrors, and spend some time reflecting on the state of things before we vote again.
Gerry Kirkham,
Egmont Street
