Canadians aren't likely to find many of their MPs hunting this fall or at the gun range this spring. . Shooting range .Just four Canadian MPs are licensed firearms owners, according to an analysis conducted by the Western Standard. .The Western Standard conducted an anonymous survey of all 333 current MPs in the House of Commons concerning firearms ownership and licensing. .The email asked MPs if they were licensed firearms owners, and if they were, whether they had a basic possession and acquisition licence (PAL) or a restricted possession and acquisition licence (RPAL). MPs were asked if they own firearms..MPs who did not respond were considered not to be gun owners for the purposes of the study. Twenty-two MPs responded to the emails..Two Liberal MPs confirmed they were not licensed and did not own firearms. .Six Conservative MPs said they were licensed and owned firearms. Four of those MPs had PALs and RPALs, and two of them declined to say which licence category they held..Two Conservative MPs had their PALs and RPALs and did not own firearms. Three Conservative MPs said they have their licenses, but declined to say if they possessed any firearms.. Guns .Another six Conservative MPs said they're not licensed and do not possess firearms. Another Conservative MP responded, but declined to answer any questions..Both Green MPs told the Western Standard they do not have gun licenses or own firearms. All MPs from the Bloc Quebecois and NDP declined to respond to the Western Standard. .Canadian Shooting Sports Association Executive Director Tony Bernardo said he wonders how many MPs did not want to admit to firearms ownership..“I think the response was so low because the environment is so bad,” said Bernardo..“Firearms owners in Canada do not want to become embroiled in a controversy where they’ve got the CBC and the Toronto Star all over the fact they lawfully own firearms.” .Every time the Conservatives oppose a gun control bill, Bernardo said the CBC and Toronto Star are “screaming about how of course they oppose it because it is in their best interests.” He said firearms owners might be uncomfortable to say they have them..While no Liberal MPs said they own guns, Bernardo said he knows a few who do. .“We have to respect each other’s rights, because if you take away my rights, what’s going to stop them from taking away your rights?” he said.. Guns .The analysis comes after Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner (Calgary Nose Hill, AB) sponsored a petition in 2017 to require people appointed to the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee (CFAC) to have earned their PAL..The petition said given the CFAC will shape the future of firearms policy in Canada, its members must understand and represent the people reflecting this community..It received 16,330 signatures when it closed in 2017. The federal government rejected the proposal..The federal government's handgun freeze took effect in October, barring people from buying, selling, transferring, or importing the weapons..READ MORE: UPDATED: National handgun freeze takes effect.People can continue to own and use their handguns and sell or transfer them to exempted individuals or businesses in extremely rare circumstances..“With handgun violence increasing across Canada, it is our duty to take urgent action to remove these deadly weapons from our communities,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau..Opposition MPs voted six to five to block attempts to rush Bill C-21 through the Commons Public Safety Committee in December..READ MORE: Bill C-21 to be delayed until after Christmas break .“We are out of time,” said Liberal MP Ron McKinnon (Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam, BC). .Bill C-21 would restrict people from buying certain hunting rifles. Conservative, Bloc Quebecois, and NDP MPs proposed eight public hearings on it.
