Tony Bernardo is the Executive Director of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association.For weeks, Ontario’s Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) refused to answer the one question gun owners needed answered plainly.“Will PAL holders who continue to possess newly prohibited firearms lose their licences, yes or no?”Now we have two written responses. Neither gives gun owners the direct answer they deserve, and taken together, they deliver a clear warning.The April 7 letter says the CFO does not proactively revoke a firearms licence solely because a PAL holder possesses a firearm prohibited under the May 1, 2020, Order in Council, provided that person remains within the scope of the amnesty.That’s the protection being offered. It is narrow, conditional, and temporary.That same letter also makes clear what happens when that protection ends.If the amnesty expires or if its conditions are not met, enforcement falls to police, and the CFO continues to exercise its statutory responsibilities under applicable law.In plain English, that means the temporary shield only exists for those who remain fully compliant..Step outside it, and both criminal enforcement and licencing consequences come back into play.The March 13 response removes even more doubt.It states that participation in the federal compensation program is voluntary, but compliance with federal legislation is mandatory.It sets out the four paths the government considers lawful disposal: participate in the compensation program, export the firearm, surrender it for destruction, or permanently deactivate it.It then states that affected firearms must be dealt with before October 30 and warns that continued possession after that date may expose individuals to criminal liability.It also points directly to the CFO’s regulatory authority over licencing decisions, including potential licence revocations.Once the amnesty is gone or you breach its terms, your legal position changes immediately.That’s the point members must understand..These letters also expose the contradiction at the heart of Ontario’s position.Premier Ford’s government says it opposes the federal confiscation scheme and will not assist it.Yet Ontario’s CFO is still administering the legal consequences of that same scheme, because the Ontario CFO is administering the legal consequences of the federal firearms confiscation scheme, despite the province’s public opposition to it.However loudly the province distances itself politically, the machinery of compliance, enforcement, and licence risk all remain in place.The Ontario CFO would not give a simple answer. But he gave a clear warning, in writing. Members should treat it as one.As always, the CSSA must urge all licenced owners with firearms captured by the May 2020, December 2024, and March 2025 OIC prohibitions to comply with the amnesty conditions before October 30.Members should understand the risk: non-compliance may result in criminal liability and may also place their licence at risk.
