Montreal gun range owner Frank Nardi said the firearms measures the Canadian government is enacting will devastate shooting ranges. .“This is a way of life in Canada,” said Nardi, owner of Centre Recreatif d'Armes a Feu de Montreal (CRAFM), in a Monday interview. .“This has been part of our heritage for many, many, many decades.” .Nardi said sales have dropped since the Canadian government began proposing gun restrictions. .He said shooting ranges are safe places to use guns because they are controlled environments. Shooting ranges are not free for alls, as they provide people with structured environments. .Nardi said the Canadian government scraping the amendments to Bill C-21 makes him more positive than he was a few weeks ago. He said he is taking this news “with a grain of salt.” .The Canadian government withdrew their amendment to Bill C-21 on Friday, which would have targeted rifles and shotguns popular with hunters. .READ MORE: Liberals withdraw controversial amendments to gun control bill.Liberal MP Taleeb Noor Mohamed (Vancouver Granville) announced the amendments would be withdrawn at the House of Commons Public Safety Committee. .The amendment would have banned long guns generating more than 10,000 joules of energy or those with a muzzle wider than 20 millimetres, which would have rendered many common firearms illegal. .Nardi said he believes Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has “a hidden agenda.” The majority of gun crimes are done with stolen firearms and are gang related, but Trudeau has been lightening prison sentences for these offences. .He said he thinks Trudeau will try to ban handguns. Right now there is a handgun freeze in place, which he said hurts handgun owners. .If a part breaks or the handgun is stolen, these people cannot go and buy a new one. He said shooting is a sport like any other one. .The Canadian government's handgun freeze took effect in October, barring Canadians from buying, selling, transferring, or importing the firearms..READ MORE: UPDATED: National handgun freeze takes effect.People can own and use their handguns and sell or transfer them to exempted people and businesses.."With handgun violence increasing across Canada, it is our duty to take urgent action to remove these deadly weapons from our communities,” said Trudeau. .Nardi continued by saying shooters are responsible, trained, and understand the rules when in shooting ranges. He said he does not understand why they have to be reprimanded for crimes they did not commit. .The CRAFM is looking to set up some events with political parties and people to demystify what the mainstream media is putting out. These events would explain to people why guns are important and how shooting is a hobby. .He said he has a few ideas to stay in business if shooting ranges continue to be targeted. While he can try to plan ahead, he said the government continues to provide inaccurate information. .Some of his customers have been adamant about keeping their guns, while others are going to him and asking if they can sell them. He said there is a feeling of being treated unfairly among them. .Nardi concluded by saying the gun industry is being reprimanded by these measures. .“There’s no logical explanation as to why you’d want to ban hunting rifles,” he said.
