Firearms technically prohibited under federal gun laws were still being stored by the Bank of Canada after the Liberals prohibited them in 2020, says Blacklock’s Reporter..“The bank has a number of long-barreled firearms for use by its armed security officers,” said Alex Paterson, spokesman for the Bank..“These firearms became classified as restricted.”.Staff in a legal notice said “the Bank of Canada could not use part of its inventory.”.The number of firearms was not disclosed..“Some firearms are now prohibited and its personnel are not currently legally permitted to use them,” it said..A Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement on Wednesday was the first acknowledgment the central bank was in breach of cabinet regulations under the Firearms Act that dated from May 1, 2020..“The Bank of Canada requires these firearms for its security personnel in the course of their duties to effectively defend its premises, assets and the public in the event of an armed attack,” wrote staff..Then-Public Safety Minister Bill Blair in 2020 amended regulations to ban some 1,500 types of what he called “military-style assault weapons” in Canada..“Some weapons frankly have no place in a society for which firearms can only be used for hunting and sport purposes,” Blair told the Commons February 26, 2021..“These are firearms that were designed for combat, tactical weapons which used to be marketed as assault weapons.”.The Bank did not say where armed officers were assigned or why..Management in 2017 Access To Information records detailed payment of thousands of dollars in employee memberships at the Eastern Ontario Shooting Club, of Cheney, Ont..“The club was created by some employees working in security services,” Marie Bordeleau, deputy corporate secretary, said at the time..Shooting club fees cost the Bank $2,563 a year, according to records.
