Alberta eyeing appointing its own Chief Firearms Officer

Alberta is actively considering appointing its own Chief Firearms Officer. This comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today a ban on 1,500 types of semi-automatic firearms effective immediately.

Starting May 1, Trudeau said license gun owners will no longer be allowed to transport, import, sell or use these sorts of rifles in Canada.

“In response to today’s announcement from Ottawa, our government is actively considering appointing Alberta’s own chief firearms officer (CFO) to replace the CFO appointed by Ottawa,” said Premier Jason Kenney.

“The Government of Alberta is concerned about all crime, including the illegal use of firearms. Today’s order by Ottawa does little to target criminals. Instead, Ottawa is singling out law-abiding Canadians who purchased their property legally, have owned these items safely for years, and who have committed no crimes,” said Kenney.

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“Ottawa is singling out law-abiding Canadians who purchase their property legally, have owned these items safely for years, and have committed no crimes”#ableg #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/h8XLVGsXeV

— United Conservative Party of Alberta (@Alberta_UCP) May 1, 2020

“We know that the overwhelming majority of firearms used criminally in Canada are smuggled in illegally from the United States. Instead of addressing this, Ottawa will instead spend vast sums of money to criminalize law-abiding Canadians. That money would be far better used to pursue the smugglers and drug gangs that plague our society,” added Kenney.

Alberta Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer said that violent criminals who use guns are often released with “surprisingly soft” sentences.

“Rather than focus on law-abiding Canadians, we’d call on Parliament to bring back tough, mandatory sentences for the criminals who flagrantly endanger Canadians with their use of illegal guns,” said Schweitzer.

In November 2019, the Alberta legislature unanimously passed Government Motion 41, which stated: Be it resolved that the Legislative Assembly recognize and support the ability of Albertans to lawfully and in a responsible manner own and possess firearms and to engage in permitted activities involving the use of firearms, including but not limited to hunting and sport shooting.

“The Government of Alberta will scrutinize today’s move by Ottawa and explore potential responses through this lens,” said Schweitzer.

Peter MacKay, Federal Conservative party leadership candidate promised to “undo” the current Liberal government’s planned gun confiscations against hunters, sport shooters, and rural people if he is elected prime minister.

“Whatever they do, we will undo. The safety of Canadians will be enhanced by putting criminals behind bars, not harassing law-abiding citizens,” he said in a tweet Jan. 28.

Whatever they do, we will undo. The safety of Canadians will be enhanced by putting criminals behind bars, not harassing law-abiding citizens. https://t.co/bWle2uPOjN

— Peter MacKay (@PeterMacKay) January 28, 2020

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