The federal government extended the amnesty for several hundred prohibited models of (what they are calling) “assault-style” centrefire semi-automatics to Oct. 30, 2023. The extension was announced on March 16 in a notice published in the Canada Gazette.
The federal Liberals used an order-in-council in May of 2020 to ban hundreds of models of semi-automatic centrefires (known by gun owners as modern sporting rifles). This was following the tragic mass shooting in Nova Scotia in April of that year. Initially the ban included 1,500 models, including AR-15s, but the RCMP has added several models to the list since. Now firearms groups say the ban encompasses more than 2,200 models.
Though these guns have been limited to five-shot magazines for years, they were assigned a special prohibited status and (prior to this extension) owners were initially given until April 30, 2022, to come into compliance. One of the options for compliance was a buyback plan the government has yet to put into place.
Extension only changes the deadlines
Regarding the extension, a Public Safety Canada News release noted, “This will allow time to ensure that officials can finalize and fully implement a robust mandatory buyback program and allow firearms owners and businesses to take all reasonable steps to come into compliance with the law.”
The extension doesn’t change the prohibitions, just the deadline, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Director of Policy and Programs Matt DeMille said.
“While it underscores that the prohibitions were hastily brought in and exposes additional challenges that have resulted from it, it doesn’t give any indication the government will acknowledge the unnecessary overreach in the scope of the regulations,” he said. “While it’s hard to consider this worth sticking a flag in and calling it a victory, it does offer a glimmer of hope in having a little more time to influence change.”
Leave A Comment