Saskatchewan MLAs have unanimously endorsed a motion that calls on the federal government to pass on all responsibility for administration of the Firearms Act to the province.The motion was introduced Thursday by Sask Party Carrot River Valley MLA Fred Bradshaw in response to the federal Liberal government's Bill C-21. The bill dictates that handguns can no longer be imported, purchased or transferred. “Our government will not allow the federal Liberal government to trample on the rights of law-abiding firearms owners,” said Bradshaw in a press release.“I am proud to be part of a government that will stand up for these rights and protect the rights of Saskatchewan’s many legal firearms owners.”Last year, the Government of Saskatchewan passed The Saskatchewan Firearms Act to establish licensing requirements for seizure agents involved in firearms expropriation, require and oversee fair compensation for any firearms being seized, and require forensic and ballistic testing of seized firearms.“Many rural residents across the province depend on firearms to protect their livestock and to hunt,” said Ray Orb, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities president.“Responsible firearm owners who practice gun safety and abide by the licensing requirements legislated by the Government of Saskatchewan should not be criminalized.”Blair Hagen, a regional director and spokesperson for the National Firearms Association, welcomed the provincial motion in an interview with Western Standard."It's a very positive step for the province. I think it shows their support for the rights and freedoms and property of the people there. It's certainly consistent with what's going on in Alberta," Hagen said."This type of opposition to the federal gun confiscation program is very, very important, not only in those provinces, but right across Canada, because it shows that provincial governments will not put up with this incursion into the rights, freedoms and property of their citizens."Hagen characterized Bill C-21, which received royal assent on December 15, 2023, as "the culmination of the whole liberal civil disarmament program.""It confiscates in place people's personal property. They simply can't do anything with it. So the idea is if you can't transfer it to another firearms license holder, 'Maybe I'll just call the police and have them come pick it up,'" Hagen explained."It's slow confiscation, and we've seen this for many, many years in Canada. This has always been present in one form or another. But under Bill C-21, it intensifies it, and basically, it's an offence against citizenship. You cannot control people's property this way, and deny them the legitimate use and economic potential of that property, which is what Bill C-21 does, among other things."Hagen said Saskatchewan citizens should be pleased at their government's efforts to protect their firearms rights."In provinces like Saskatchewan, Alberta, you have provincially appointed, appointed Chief Firearms officers who have a who are, let's say, more enlightened on the firearms issue than those in other provinces," Hagen explained."We're pleased, but we're not surprised that they would go to the extent just to show the federal government that their agenda is not going to be accepted."In a post to Twitter ("X"), premier Scott Moe said, "Our government remains committed to protecting the rights of law-abiding firearms owners and will continue to stand up against Bill C-21 while supporting initiatives aimed at the illegal use of firearms in our province."Bradshaw was first elected as MLA in 2007 and won subsequent elections in 2011, 2016, and 2020. He has served as Deputy House Leader and had other cabinet posts. Bradhsaw, who will soon turn 73, announced last September he would not seek re-election.
Saskatchewan MLAs have unanimously endorsed a motion that calls on the federal government to pass on all responsibility for administration of the Firearms Act to the province.The motion was introduced Thursday by Sask Party Carrot River Valley MLA Fred Bradshaw in response to the federal Liberal government's Bill C-21. The bill dictates that handguns can no longer be imported, purchased or transferred. “Our government will not allow the federal Liberal government to trample on the rights of law-abiding firearms owners,” said Bradshaw in a press release.“I am proud to be part of a government that will stand up for these rights and protect the rights of Saskatchewan’s many legal firearms owners.”Last year, the Government of Saskatchewan passed The Saskatchewan Firearms Act to establish licensing requirements for seizure agents involved in firearms expropriation, require and oversee fair compensation for any firearms being seized, and require forensic and ballistic testing of seized firearms.“Many rural residents across the province depend on firearms to protect their livestock and to hunt,” said Ray Orb, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities president.“Responsible firearm owners who practice gun safety and abide by the licensing requirements legislated by the Government of Saskatchewan should not be criminalized.”Blair Hagen, a regional director and spokesperson for the National Firearms Association, welcomed the provincial motion in an interview with Western Standard."It's a very positive step for the province. I think it shows their support for the rights and freedoms and property of the people there. It's certainly consistent with what's going on in Alberta," Hagen said."This type of opposition to the federal gun confiscation program is very, very important, not only in those provinces, but right across Canada, because it shows that provincial governments will not put up with this incursion into the rights, freedoms and property of their citizens."Hagen characterized Bill C-21, which received royal assent on December 15, 2023, as "the culmination of the whole liberal civil disarmament program.""It confiscates in place people's personal property. They simply can't do anything with it. So the idea is if you can't transfer it to another firearms license holder, 'Maybe I'll just call the police and have them come pick it up,'" Hagen explained."It's slow confiscation, and we've seen this for many, many years in Canada. This has always been present in one form or another. But under Bill C-21, it intensifies it, and basically, it's an offence against citizenship. You cannot control people's property this way, and deny them the legitimate use and economic potential of that property, which is what Bill C-21 does, among other things."Hagen said Saskatchewan citizens should be pleased at their government's efforts to protect their firearms rights."In provinces like Saskatchewan, Alberta, you have provincially appointed, appointed Chief Firearms officers who have a who are, let's say, more enlightened on the firearms issue than those in other provinces," Hagen explained."We're pleased, but we're not surprised that they would go to the extent just to show the federal government that their agenda is not going to be accepted."In a post to Twitter ("X"), premier Scott Moe said, "Our government remains committed to protecting the rights of law-abiding firearms owners and will continue to stand up against Bill C-21 while supporting initiatives aimed at the illegal use of firearms in our province."Bradshaw was first elected as MLA in 2007 and won subsequent elections in 2011, 2016, and 2020. He has served as Deputy House Leader and had other cabinet posts. Bradhsaw, who will soon turn 73, announced last September he would not seek re-election.
