WINNIPEG, MB, December 1, 2022 – On November 22, 2022 the Federal Government introduced amendments G4 and G46 to Bill C-21 to expand the list of firearms classified as prohibited in the federal Firearms Act. Amendment G4 includes:
“(g) a firearm that is a rifle or shotgun, that is capable of discharging centre-fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner and that is designed to accept a detachable cartridge magazine with a capacity greater than five cartridges of the type for which the firearms was originally designed,”
Amendment G46 includes a comprehensive list of firearms, including common makes and models collectively owned by millions of Canadians.
Manitoba Lodges & Outfitters Association (MLOA) fully supports a comprehensive strategy to end gun violence and invest in solutions associated with mental health and criminal behaviour. MLOA does not support these amendments which target responsible, ethical, highly-trained, generational hunters and firearms owners and do very little to address those who obtain firearms illegally and/or those with criminal intent.
“Our members are licensed Resource Tourism Operators (RTO) who employ trained and licensed guides to ensure their guests are offered the very best of Manitoba’s resource tourism experiences, including highly sought-after hunting opportunities.” says MLOA Communications Manager Noel Linsey. “Firearms such as the Remington Model 750 have been safely used in unpopulated areas for decades during these experiences, which create bonds and memories that last a lifetime. The proposed amendments would render their possession illegal anywhere in Canada, essentially eliminating the pursuit of future experiences and creation of new memories.”
“RTOs are primarily small businesses and family operations in rural Manitoba providing export tourism-related services.” says MLOA Executive Director Graham Neale, “After two years of travel restrictions and public health mandates, the sector overall is nowhere near the economic health it had in 2019 and through no fault of their own, RTOs in Manitoba were already considering the viability of their business. Eliminating their access to products essential for their operations could eliminate the business completely, negatively impacting Canadian families, local economies in which they operate and, by extension, the province and the country. Manitoba RTOs are also Canadian residents, recreationists and conservationists who take their ambassadorship seriously while employing 2,400 Manitobans and providing a provincial economic output of $342M. These amendments affect not only RTOs in Manitoba, but the $5.5B Outfitting sector in Canada and the 37,250 Canadians it directly and indirectly employs.”
MLOA stands with our stakeholders across the country who urge the Federal Government to reconsider Bill C-21 amendments G4 and G26 and prevent their passage through the legislative process. We are confident there is a workable solution for the overall intent of Bill C-21 to eliminate gun violence in this country and we encourage comprehensive engagement before final decisions are made.
Read the news release in its entirety right here.
View Amendment G here.
View Amendment G46 here.
Download a letter to use for your MP here.
