- Peter's Story
- Vision
- Jobs Plan
-
Issues
End the Carbon Tax Respecting Conscience Rights Equality Matters No Huawei in 5G Networks C-69 & C-48 Must Go Meet NATO Military Spending Target No Limit Tax-Free RRSP Withdrawal Veterans Small Business Rural Internet Agriculture Canadian Firearms Laws Economic Recovery Jobs Plan for Canada National Sovereignty Party Unity Energy Policy Review Canada's COVID Response Taking Better Care of Our Seniors Keeping Canadians and Communities Safe Protecting our Environment and our Economy Defending Canada’s Borders & Democracy Supporting Canada's Outdoor Community Canada's Fisheries
- Contact
- Volunteer
- How to Vote
- Donate
As Canadian communities face an increase in violent crimes, the Trudeau Liberals are reverting to their failed playbook of demonizing law-abiding firearms owners.
Canadians from large urban centers to remote and rural communities are fed up with Trudeau’s inaction and want to see meaningful steps taken to keep their families safe. Justin Trudeau will penalize law-abiding and responsible firearms owners as a cover for his own inaction. I will not.
I want to address Justin Trudeau’s recent announcement, which will have significant ramifications for Canada's law-abiding firearms community.
To be clear - I will undo the changes made by Order in Council and repeal Bill C-71.
Recently, Trudeau implemented provisions of Bill C-71, passed by the previous Liberal government with the support of the NDP. This bill included a firearm ban that includes many common firearms owned and safely used by Canadian hunters, sports shooters and collectors.
While the bill penalizes Canadians who already go to great lengths to follow the law, the new measures do nothing to address problems caused by those who possess guns illegally or who smuggle them across the border.
As you know, Canada has a licensing system that includes an intensive screening process, rigorous training, and daily background checks. Canadian firearms owners are diligent about following the rules because safety is hardwired into the culture of lawful firearms ownership in this country.
I have always stood with our lawful Canadian firearms community who along with all Canadians, share a commitment to public safety. As a senior minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, I proudly supported the repeal of the ineffective and expensive long-gun registry in 2011.
I will stand once again, this time as Prime Minister, to bring forward legislation to repeal Bill C-71 and replace it with a law that targets violent crime that is prevalent in rural communities and urban centres, illegal guns, organized crime and smugglers. This is what will make Canadians safer.
Canadians are searching for solutions, not Liberal talking points that make headlines.
So, here are just a few of the steps a MacKay Conservative government will take to tackle serious violent crime and make our streets safer for everybody:
- Immediately introduce measures to crack down on illegal firearms.
- Provide for mandatory minimum penalties for possession and end the revolving door for repeat offenders.
- Take the $600 million the Trudeau government proposes to spend on a wasteful gun buyback program and invest that money with frontline policing and Canada Border Services to go after the illegal guns that pose a real threat to Canadians.
- Take decisive action to combat organized crime, which operates in cities, and more recently rural communities across Canada.
- Toughen measures to deter and catch smuggling by seizing vehicles at the border where illegal guns are found.
I will always stand with the lawful firearms community in Canada and all Canadians to fight the real criminals who put our communities at risk.
Sincerely,
Hon. Peter MacKay