The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) says Trudeau’s proposed Bill C-21 gun legislation violates their treaty rights..Trudeau’s government says the gun legislation is to reduce gun violence and keep Canadians safe.. Heather Bear .The bill freezes the sale, purchase, and transfer of handguns, with a few exceptions, and includes a gun “buyback” program..FSIN Fourth Vice-Chief Heather Bear said the gun grab infringes on indigenous hunting rights on reserves and their traditional territories..“Handguns are used in the far north. They’re still trapping and for small game. Handguns are still used,” said Bear..According to Bear, the FSIN objects to the Possession And Acquisition licence (PAL) for indigenous hunters..“We don’t register our guns. We don’t feel we have to because a lot of these guns are passed down through families and through ceremonial rituals,” said Bear..“That’s just our way of life. We have a treaty card. That is already a promise of fiduciary responsibility.”.RCMP officers are fining and seizing guns from indigenous hunters already, according to Bear..“They’re getting fines … right up to $2,300 or $1,700. And these hunters are out there simply asserting their treaty right to hunt on lands,” said Bear. .“We were promised that way of life would always be there.”.FSIN chiefs passed a motion rejecting the bill and its amendments, and told Trudeau’s government to work on crime prevention, not going after law-abiding gun owners..Bear said guns are tools that indigenous people use and taking the indigenous hunter’s gun away affects their ability to feed their families and communities, which infringes on indigenous values, customs, and traditions..“Bill C-21 doesn’t apply to us. Our treaties trump everything there,” said Bear..Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and the Yukon have opposed the gun grab..READ MORE Sask introduces Firearms Act to protect firearms owners from Trudeau’s gun grab.Saskatchewan introduced a new bill called the Saskatchewan Firearms Act to protect lawful firearms owners from the gun grab.
