Firearms Rights and Advocacy Committee

December 12, 2022

Good morning everyone,

For over three years the Canadian firearms community has faced unprecedented attack from our federal government, first with the re-classification of over 1500 firearms to prohibited, then a lockdown on the sale & transfer of all handguns, and most recently the addition of thousands of semi-automatic shotguns & rifles to the prohibited class. Meanwhile no improvements have been made to curb the flow of black market firearms into our country even though they are the devices used in the majority of firearm related crime.  

As firearms enthusiasts, we have had no successful recourse on these radical policies of the Trudeau Government. Hundreds of letters have been sent only to be met with no reply or a polite reply that your concern has been received. Requests for meetings have gone unanswered from our local Liberal MP’s who undoubtedly will simply tow the party line on the issue regardless of the needs of their constituents. The silence has been deafening and frustrating.

But I have some good news, we are no longer alone in our quest for reasonable & responsible firearm legislation. This past weekend the honourable Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, leader of His Majesties Loyal Opposition and future Prime Minister of Canada met with representatives of the Firearms Community at the St. John’s Rod and Gun Club for a roundtable discussion on bill C-21.

The firearms community was thoroughly represented by all gun clubs across the island via delegates; the sport shooting community including all action pistol groups & clay target shooters; hunters; collectors; and firearms shop owners including Complete Gun Repairs, Outdoor Pros, and Coastal Outdoors. Our concerns were made perfectly clear in open discussion and in one on one conversation with Mr. Poilievre.

His response is that he vows to repeal bill C-21 in its entirety and rebuild the firearms act from the ground up taking input and guidance from ALL affected parties including shooters, hunters, nay sayers, law enforcement and more.

This was a historic occasion, one of the most momentous in our club’s history to have had the honour of a politician of power and influence grant us an audience to hear our concerns. I believe there was a major take away from this event, at the beginning Mr. Poilievre’s talk mentioned hunters affected by bill C-21 but after this event focus has been added to Sport Shooters as well in publications by Mr. Poilievre’s team.

It was an honour to have been a part of this event and I look forward to working with the Conservative Party of Canada on this issue and their bid in the next election. In all reality it’s our only recourse against this egregious attack from the governing party. In the mean time every single one of us need to spread the news to friends, family, co-workers and more to at least listen to Pierre Poilievre’s policies and standpoints on issues facing Canadian’s, once they do I believe they will be pleasantly surprised and we can turn the tide in the next election.

Mike Smith

President

St. John's Rod and Gun Club

PoilievreDecember2022

 

For Immediate Release:

May 31, 2022

As many of you know, yesterday the Governing Party of Canada tabled sweeping changes in firearms legislation that will have a very hurtful impact on sensible, law abiding firearms owners, and the business & clubs that support them nation wide. Among the changes to the revised bill C-21, the most pronounced is a potential Freeze on the sale and transfer of handguns. If put in place as presented, this will likely be the end of safe, responsible, sanctioned pistol shooting in Canada within a generation. IPSC, IDPA, Cowboy Action and local steel challenge shoots will undoubtedly come to an end.

The St. John’s Rod and Gun Club is highly supportive of actions which make our communities safer from illegal firearm related activities. However we state: “The SJRGC is vehemently opposed to actions by our federal government that unfairly target and negatively impact safe, sensible, law abiding firearms owners. This freeze will do nothing to make our communities safer; meanwhile criminals already prohibited from possessing firearms continue to obtain them via illegal channels”.

Earlier this week VOCM News reported that 4 individuals were arrested in relation to a series of recent shootings in the St. John’s metro area. The article stated that a number of ILLEGALLY OWNED FIREARMS were seized from the Brookfield Road area in connection to the ongoing investigation.

The tragedy that took place in Nova Scotia in 2020 were committed by a man already prohibited from possessing firearms, this man brought the firearms used in that tragedy into Canada illegally across the border.

I have been involved in the firearms community in shooting & hunting sports for almost 20 years and on the board of the SJRGC for over a decade. Canada is not a free for all with regards to firearms ownership or use. Canadians holding a valid Possession Acquisition License are amongst the most vetted (by the RCMP) Canadians in the country. Canadian firearm owners adhere to strict regulations with regard to safe storage and transportation of restricted and non-restricted firearms.

It is my common sense opinion that making more rules will do nothing to cure the actions of seasoned criminals operating across the country. These people don’t follow the rules already in place so they will continue with their illegal activities and simply violate additional rules while responsible firearm owners are unfairly penalized.

We need policy that strengthens local and federal law enforcement to rid criminals and organised crime from our communities. We need policy to strengthen our law enforcement presence at the border and stop the flow of illegal firearms flowing into the hands of criminals.

Now more than ever, please follow and support both of our national bodies, the National Firearms Association and the Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights.

 

Written by: Mike Smith

President St. John’s Rod and Gun Club

Approved by the Executive Board of Directors

 

 

The Firearms Rights & Advocacy Committee was created to promote and advance the rights of firearms owners for the St. John's Rod & Gun Club.  The purpose of the Committee is to raise awareness of firearms related issues and to call SJRGC members to action with regard to the actions we as individuals can take.

Please regularly check the websites of Canada’s two top firearms rights lobby groups which have been, and will continue to be supported by donations from the SJRGC. These are your best source for the latest up to date information on these very important matters:

Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights

National Firearms Association

 

What are your Firearms Rights in Canada?
Firearms Act: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca firearms act 
 
Canadian Firearms Program:
Phone: 1 800 731 4000
Email: cfp-pcaf@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/

 

Topics for Discussion
Bill C-21 Important Concerns for Firearms Owners
Letter from the Shooting Federation of Canada to Bill Blair
Petitions to the Government of Canada
Additional Firearms Related Information
Canadian Government Gun Control Law Changes
 





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