Trudeau puts politics over public safety
By Lethbridge Herald on January 7, 2023.
FROM THE HILL
Rachael Thomas – Conservative MP for Lethbridge
Since the Liberals took power seven years ago, violent crime has increased by 32 per cent and gang-related violence has grown by 92 per cent. There is no doubt about it, Canada is facing a public safety crisis.
The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has underscored for years that greater help is needed to secure Canada’s borders and equip metropolitan police with the training and resources they need to go after illegal gun smugglers and gangs. But Trudeau is not interested in solving the problem. His only goal is to score cheap political points.
Enter Bill C-21.
This bill targets highly vetted firearms owners who follow the rules and safely use their firearms for hunting, sport shooting, or protecting livestock.
It will do nothing to take illegal firearms off the street or stop gun violence. It has nothing to do with keeping our communities safe.
With this bill, the Trudeau Liberals have launched the single largest assault on hunters and sport shooters in Canadian history.
Bill C-21 was introduced in spring 2022, and it was terrible in its original form, then, at the 11th hour, just before Christmas, it was made even worse! By moving a significant amendment at committee stage, the Liberals moved to ban hundreds — if not thousands — of hunting rifles. This was done without hearing from experts or allowing for democratic debate.
Mr. Trudeau wants you to believe that he is only going after “weapons of war” and likes to display images of big scary black machine guns when he speaks to the press, but the reality is, the Liberals are going after classic rifles such as the Ruger No. 1, a firearm that is designed to accept only one bullet at a time.
The ban also includes the Mossberg 702 Plinkster, a .22 gauge firearm designed for target practice. In addition, it captures firearms like the Webley & Scott Wild Fowl Gun, a shotgun used for bird hunting, along with various other Second World War replica firearms owned by Grandpa Joe.
This amendment is terrible in its own right, but even more so when we consider the fact that it targets Indigenous Canadians, whose culture is deeply tied to hunting and who have treaty rights to hunt for sustenance.
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Executive released a public statement expressing its concerns. In it, the Chief advocated for those he represents by saying “our people can’t afford to have our guns taken away, especially when we are trying to put food on the table during unprecedented times.” The Chief went on to highlight the fact that Indigenous folks will be unjustly targeted by this legislation because of systemic racism.
He called on the Trudeau government to acknowledge the tremendous harm that will be done by this bill and urged Mr. Trudeau to take a step back.
While the Liberals want you to believe they care about community safety, the exact opposite is true. Bill C-5 was brought into effect by this government as a favour to criminals.
Ironically, it amends the Criminal Code to take away mandatory jail time for violent gun crime and allow those criminals to serve under house arrest in our communities.
Other offences for which the penalty has been significantly softened include weapons trafficking, discharging a firearm with intent, robbery with a firearm, and extortion with a firearm.
This soft on crime approach is not only dangerous, but also a blatant departure from reason.
The Liberals’ hypocrisy is palpable.
Bill C-21 is about politics, not gun safety, and it is at the expense of everyday Canadians who are being victimized in their own communities by gangs and dangerous criminals.
Canadians deserve better.
Conservatives have always stood for common sense gun safety and strong consequences for those who commit gun offences.
Why? Because it is the right thing to do. If we value human life, the principles of law and justice, and safety in this country, then we should work to strengthen the structures that uphold those principles.
It is obvious to anyone watching that the Prime Minister is not serious about stopping dangerous criminals from getting their hands on illegal guns or making our streets safer. This type of political theatre and virtue signalling is reckless, short-sighted, and out of step with a free and democratic society. It is damaging for all.
Canadians have a chance to make their voices heard. If the actions of the Liberal government concern you, please have your say by contacting the Minister of Public Safety, Marco Mendicino, by emailing him at marco.mendicino@parl.gc.ca or by calling his office at 613-992-6361.
25-24
Trudeau wants to disarm Canadians, or should I say law abiding gun owner Canadians. Even though statistics show most of the guns in Canada used to commit crimes are illegal and were smuggled into Canada, he ignores those facts. It was the United Nations plan to disarm the world’s private citizens a few decades ago and it appears this PM is following this policy.
He is the worst PM we have ever been governed by! How many times has he been caught in actions that many would be criminally charged for? Have we forgotten? When he gets caught, he pulls out the cheque-book of the Canadian taxpayers and starts writing multi-billion dollar cheques to buy votes and has put Canada in a position financially that we could be facing a ‘debt wall’ soon. Within just 3 years he has doubled the Canadian debt that for decades hovered between $450 billion to $700 billion to a soon to be $1.3 trillion, currently $1.2.
While he is constantly touring the world trying to be a world leader, Canada has fractured and unity is failing as some provinces quietly and for some, openly make changes that can be seen a separation from Confederation. Trudeau, when not touring the world, has been seen several times openly meeting Premier François Legault a well known Quebec separatist, shown in restaurants, etc., so is he taking advice from Legault.
Trudeau pushed Safe Consumption Sites and still believes harm reduction works, even after 20 years of BC proving harm reduction doesn’t work, but looking at the increases in fatal overdoses, addicts, homeless and crime. It is almost likes he wants Canadians to all get high on drugs, maybe so we are all numbed in our brains so we are not paying attention as he destroys Canada. Or is it a way of culling the population, the weak, as world populations exceed 8 billion and grow rapidly.
He has continually taken actions to kill the biggest revenue industry in Canada that has benefited the country, by actions that continue to kill the oil and gas inustry, even though the world still will need oil and gas for the next 2 to 3 decades as we merged towards alternative energy, which by the way have been proven to be a larger carbon footprint than fossil fuels, including the environmental impacts that are far worse when disposing the useworn out wind farm materials and massive blades, the solar panels, the batteries and not to mention the environmental impacts of mining lithium for batteries, but no one is paying attention to that.
Canada only emits 1.6% that is 1 point 6 percent of the world GHG’s while China over 30%, but no one is all over China to make reductions, instead China’s emissions are increasing. When you add the EU, the US and China’s emission, you are almost at 60% of the world’s GHG emissions.
Canada, if it drastically works to reduce emissions, at best, can only bet to 0.8%-1%. So what is the real reason Canada is under attack when our emissions are so small and our reductions will have little impact? I believe Trudeau knows, and I don’t believe it has anything to do with emissions, I believe it is more about greed.
Which is my final point! Through this PM’s actions over the years I have little trust in his dealings with companies and finances and by finances I mean taxpayer dollars that financed his spending sprees!
The billions that were blown need to have a forensic accounting performed to make sure none of those funds ended up in some bank account that the PM has access to, for a slush fund or for his own gains. I have little trust in him!
He is blind and this gun legislation will do nothing to stop the illegal gun trade or lower the crime rate! Sadly, when you look at Ukraine, they needed their citizen owned guns, and technically we are in a world war by definition, that is getting worse and there could be time in the next few years that law abiding Canadian gun owners may need to have weapons to assist in the defense of Canada. Never say never!
Not sure as to give you a thumbs up or down here pdr. While not a fan of Trudeau
I support gun control for guns like assault like weapons and small arms plus mag restrictions. Having served in the military for 37+ years and fired almost every weapon they had
I see no reason or desire to own a fire arm. Hunting type weapons are fine for those who hunt but other fire arms are only designed to kill, and not sport. I have not been following this latest bill on fire arms but if it supports weapons as mentioned
I support their control. The logic that criminals only commit gun crimes is bs as no one knows when a “ law abiding” person will commit a fire arm crime until it happens so why put a weaon such as mention in their hands to start with. To arm everyone is not an answer as proof with the crime in the US and the Ukraine example is a poor example to make for the right to own a fire arm.
As to your comments about solar/ wind/ battery power energy
I fully agree . There will always be a need for fossil fuel and these plus green energy must go hand in hand as both have an environmental footprint that need study.
Agreed, the Ukraine example was not the best example, but we are living in a world that is ready to explode. Our military is only about 70,000 reg’s and 28,000 res’s and we have vast areas in our country to protect in the event of another world war.
I also no longer own a gun, although somedays I miss going out and putting a few down range. I don’t hunt anymore obviously, but I still support the right to own guns and support the law abiding gun owners.
I do agree that there is no need for large mags, and if you read the Liberals legislation, some rifles used by hunters are on the list.
It will have zero impact regarding gun crimes, driveby shootings, gang violence, since most of these are committed with handguns and other illegal weapons.
Organized crime have automatic weapons, even machine guns in some cases, along with hand grenades and many other restricted weapons, along with body armour, smoke grenades, etc., but rarely is a bust seen where they are displayed, since those busts are rare!
The more restrictions you put in place, the more money organized crime will make. In many cases illegal guns are ‘rented’ out by the day for criminals to use.
The concern now is illegal 3D printers which make guns that now can be used for multiple shots, as apposed to a few rounds before it was no good.
37 years in the military is worthy of a Thank You to you and your family for all the sacrifices you and your family made while serving. Thank You!
I will leave you with an interesting documentary that is informative on gun smuggling.
VeraCity: The Gun Chase
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9zOYluvaAA
https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/firearms/maximum-permitted-magazine-capacity
As a general rule, the maximum magazine capacity is:
With some exceptions, there is no limit to the magazine capacity for:
Thank you for your commentary. Much more could be added regarding the current Canadian government leadership (and lack thereof). Another time….
For those interested, the following ideally represents an historical accounting of government regulation of gun control in Canada.
In addition, a comparison of national crime statistics from 2015 to present. Interestingly, I had forgotten about the fiscal mismanagement, scandal and corruption, which took place regarding the long gun registry.
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrUjHi5YLxjlEkAEzIXFwx.;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzMEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1673318713/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fCanadian_Firearms_Registry/RK=2/RS=5gD22MmcqHJVh34Ew2P9_zYxHFg-
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrUiZ09Y7xj7wwAywUXFwx.;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1673319358/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fCanadian_Firearms_Program/RK=2/RS=tyTQWzlm79qAHtqGvgkHUgUcCZ0-
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrXkeW3Y7xjeIYAa0QXFwx.;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1673319480/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFirearms_regulation_in_Canada/RK=2/RS=PO_Rm5FKIXQ_LWK.ZILBeQ59BmA-
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrWpykIaLxj7wsAMDsXFwx.;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1673320585/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww150.statcan.gc.ca%2fn1%2fpub%2f85-002-x%2f2016001%2farticle%2f14642-eng.htm/RK=2/RS=MKdwtN9zFyPUoY6AbAxNsFYIKXY-
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrWpyxhZrxjAzoALAwXFwx.;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1673320161/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww150.statcan.gc.ca%2fn1%2fpub%2f85-002-x%2f2022001%2farticle%2f00013-eng.htm/RK=2/RS=14NIBTPuobWu83qljC_latTOhZI-
More attack rhetoric from our MP. It is acknowledged that the gun legislation in its current form is not without flaws, but a recognition by her that the police associations agree in part with the intent of C21 would be in order.
Perhaps she is against proposed revised definitions of an assault rifle, whose sole purpose is to mow down as many targets as possible in as shortest time as possible. Please clarify Ms Thomas.
“It is obvious to anyone watching, that the Prime Minister is not serious about stopping dangerous criminals from getting their hands on illegal guns or making our streets safer. This type of political theatre and virtue signalling is reckless, short-sighted, and out of step with a free and democratic society.”
Most surveys conducted across Canada (you know, that country to which Alberta is a part), support increased gun controls along with increasing border vigilance. To suggest that Trudeau is “not serious” and is attempting to “score cheap political points” is incorrect. As usual , the barbs are flying without any useful suggestions.
The entire issue of guns is indeed complicated, but any attempts to defile proposals without concrete suggestions and simple negativity is, one could argue, also political manoeuvring on her part.
JP I think you are not aware that most of the guns used in crimes are guns that are illegal and were smuggled in, except for the new trend, which hasn’t completely surfaced of 3D printer guns.
I am not a big fan of many of the comments by the MP, but agree with some of the concerns regarding gun legislation because it will have zero impact on the crimes but will take away legal hunting weapons from law abiding citizens who use them for hunting purposes.
No need for large magazines to hunt ,5 rounds was more than enough, at least when I hunted.
Below is an informative documentary on the gun violence issues.
VeraCity: The Gun Chase
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9zOYluvaAA
It remains, the ongoing tiresome Trudeau/Liberal bashing by not only this MP but the AB UCP government. All the while, the federal government has mismanaged the gun control file, unless, changes are made.
The ‘Mouseland’ political fable which indicates that the “Canadian political system is flawed in that it offers Canadian voters a false dichotomy: the choice of two parties neither of which represent their interests,” after all these years, still, applies.
The federal Conservatives are certainly, not, the savior for Canada either.
https://nationalpost.com/opinion/gun-buyback-program-will-waste-hundreds-of-millions-without-making-a-dent-on-crime
https://nationalpost.com/opinion/ivison-forget-the-gun-buyback
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/sabrina-maddeaux-stop-punishing-victims-of-crime-who-exercise-self-defence/ar-AA16fyzm?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=7eaaae61c4ef42088f3901ca6b1f44d5