A Petition To Scrap Canada's Firearm Ban Got So Many Signatures It Broke Records (VIDEO)
A lot of people seem to be unhappy with Canada’s new gun control laws. One parliamentary petition has garnered a record-breaking number of signatures after it called on Trudeau to reverse the ban on military-grade weapons. By the time it closed, more than 230,000 Canadians had signed.
Earlier this year, after the deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history, the prime minister announced a new firearm ban.
Around 1,500 different models of firearms were included in the ban, which prohibited selling, buying, transporting or importing them in Canada.
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However, not everyone is happy with the new gun control laws.
A parliamentary e-petition, sponsored by Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner, is calling on the federal government to scrap the firearms ban that was introduced back in May.
The document, which is addressed to Trudeau, says the new rule was “undemocratically imposed without debate during a pandemic while Parliament is suspended.”
The appeal claims that the regulations will not prevent gun-related crime, as “the majority of firearms used in violent crimes are obtained illegally and/or are smuggled into Canada.”
Rather than prevent Canadians from legally owning these weapons, the petition calls for the government to focus on illegal firearms that are being brought across the border.
It also calls for Trudeau to apologize directly to Canada’s legal gun owners.
The petition, which closed on September 2, garnered a record-breaking 230,905 signatures.
The majority of signees listed their location as Ontario, followed by Alberta and B.C.
Plans for the firearm ban were first announced by Trudeau in late April this year, following the mass shooting in Nova Scotia.
The tragedy, one of the most deadly in Canadian history, prompted the PM to follow through on one of his key election promises in 2019 — stronger gun laws.
However, the petition accuses Trudeau of “using the emotion of the tragedy in Nova Scotia to impose this confiscation regime,” noting that the weapons used in that case were illegally obtained.
Thoughts and prayers are not enough. We will ban all military-style assault rifles, give municipalities the ability… https://t.co/YzaNRiNKx5— Justin Trudeau (@Justin Trudeau) 1569005980.0
As the petition is an official parliamentary document, the federal government is required to reply.
However, it’s going to be a few more weeks until the signees get a response, as Parliament remains prorogued until September 23.
*This article's cover image is for illustrative purposes only.