[…] National Telegraph […]
Written By Wyatt Claypool, Posted on February 15, 2021
Often the political debate over firearms regulations in Canada seems like the biggest and most impactful part of the fight to maintain firearm rights in the country.
Although the legal challenges, debates in Parliament, and overturning bad legislation are very important in the campaign to maintain and expand firearm rights, as Andrew Breitbart often said, “politics is downstream from culture”.
Recent limited victories against the Liberals planned ban of 1,500 models of rifles have all not been as a direct result of legal actions or legislative changes to the ban pushed by the Conservative opposition but is partially due to the Liberals having to moderate themselves in the face of a slowly increasingly pro-firearm rights public.
The main goal of anything done to stop the Liberals ban, such as the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights (CCFR) attempt to get a legal injunction against the ban, which despite not being granted by the judge, is to help raise more awareness of the issues and the inherently unfair and frankly unconstitutional actions of Justin Trudeau’s Liberals.
Tracey Wilson and Rod Giltaca from the CCFR.
Recent indications Trudeau is backing down from making the gun buy-back program mandatory is not likely due to him independently changing his mind, but rather knowing his aggressive gun control measures are pushing the voting public towards the gun lobby and moderation will save him from losing a couple of percent off his polling numbers.
One strategy proven quite effective for the gun community so far is emphasizing the issue of how the violation of firearms rights undermines property rights for everything else.
Tracey Wilson, Vice President of Public Relations for The CCFR, when asked by The National Telegraph how she speaks to non-gun owners to convince them to stand for firearm rights, said:
Now think about what the firearms ban means for everything else you own – the moment a government decides it’s too dangerous or believes you shouldn’t own it – they can and will take it. And they circumvent democracy to do it. There was no debate in the House of Commons, no listening to expert witnesses, no committee study, and certainly no vote.
In London despite guns having been banned for decades, the government under Mayor Sadiq Khan has even banned certain lengths of knives recently. Progressive politicians are likely not above one day also classifying certain vehicles as being “too dangerous” for the climate. Property rights fall like dominos and non-gun owners need to be educated on that fact.
Another rhetorical strategy the firearms community can use to effectively help change the culture is focusing on an issue broadly appealing to everyone, for example, law and order. The firearms community should become the cultural standard-bearers of law and order, and emphasize the issue of gang violence and directly go after those pro-gun control activists who have no plan to actually dealing with the gangs responsible for the vast majority of gun crime.
The hypocrisy of the gun-control lobby groups should be spotlighted for partnering with those who are against strict penalties for crime and position themselves as opponents to the incarceration of criminals.
Alisha Francis is from the anti-incarceration organization Families Impacted by Incarceration, which advocates for shorter and less restrictive prison sentences for criminals.
Wilson, talking about the issue of gangs in terms of Trudeau’s gun ban, stated:
This is a sign of a floundering government, either unable or unwilling to combat actual crime, but using it just the same to pander to their base with gun bans. Imagine the gang members reading these headlines or listening to the radio, knowing full well they are exempt from this impending legislation.
It would be foolish to argue that more licensed and responsible gun owners would make communities ravaged by gang violence less safe, and the gun-control lobby and Liberal government should be forced into making that ridiculous argument so that the Canadian general public sees they are not actually interested in upholding the public’s safety.
Despite having a Liberal-NDP government currently in power, the CCFR and other gun lobby groups are making large gains in terms of their influence over the cultural attitude to gun ownership in Canada.
Photo from The Other Press.
This is why some of the most effective ways of changing the culture is trying to appeal to non-gun owners, rather than seeing the debate over gun control as an “us vs them” situation between owners and non-owners.
Non-firearms owners have a lot at stake when it comes to Trudeau’s harsh gun-control policies and they should be made aware that as a result they could also have their property rights eroded and safety compromised.
In the final analysis: if the firearms community and the gun lobby keep pushing back against the anti-firearms culture then the political battle to reverse Trudeau’s gun ban will be made a walk-over.
Wyatt is a student at Mount Royal University, where he is the president of its Campus Conservative club. In his writing, he focuses on covering provincial and federal politics, firearms regulation, and the energy sector. Wyatt has also previously written for The Post Millennial.
[…] National Telegraph […]
A well written report. Thanks for your effort. It raises awareness.
[…] National Telegraph […]
November 11, 2024
September 27, 2024
Ok there is something wrong, they want to stop violence, but not put people in jail. Yet punish the most lawful segment of our society. I don’t think so Mr. Trudeau.
Most gun owners are from the law enforcement and military community.
Mr. Trudeau and Me. Blair, are the individuals above a threat to your public safety?
And for those who are unaware of what the Liberals have been doing to the legal, law abiding firearms owners, imagine your car or truck being banned because your sports car has 6 cylinders instead of 4, 25 horsepower more that what they deemed is safe, your rear spoiler making your sports car look way too fast, your tires being 5 inches too big, or your lift being 3 inches too high.
All of the above being banned to promote public safety without proper study, without proper procedure in the parliament.
You will take bus tomorrow without feeling violated?
We are in Canada aren’t we?
At issue is the constant disinformation program instituted by Trudeau and the anti- gun groups. Stretching from minor fibs to purposely falsified data. Fortunately many groups are now able to draw on government data through StatsCan or via freedom of information requests. The data issued through StatsCan continually contradicts the narrative being pushed by Trudeau and his groups. As a result of their failure to demonstrate a link between legally licensed firearm owners and ANY of their legally acquired firearms to criminal activity the groups grasp at quoting foreign statistics that suit there agenda. Fortunately there are more US studies that counter the anti gun agenda than support it. But more importantly, in Canada we have different rules, different laws , a subtly different culture and certainly different rights.
Of all the legislative actions brought forward by Trudeau NONE of them have addressed criminal misuse, they actual brought bills forward reducing criminal sentences against gangs and terrorists while targeting legal owners.
One thing I like to mention is the dollar amount attached to this forced confiscation with a pay off. That money is taken directly from programs that have the most positive impact on preventing gun violence and redirects it at the low hanging fruit of licenced gun owners.
Right from day one of this hypocritical, illegal gun ban, anti-gun groups have been misled by a tyrannical government! A government above the law. One that doesn’t allow for due process in the House of Commons! Passing Bill C-71 by using OIC with no parliamentary debate! Now the Trudeau Government finally realizes the folly of their ways and are now back paddling to avoid further damage to their image! To those still convince a gun ban was the right thing to do, I pose this scenario,, If a person causes death in a multi-car collision because of reckless driving and speeding who gets blames?? The person driving the car or the type of car used in the accident?? Of course we all know that in this situation, the type of vehicle used has no bearing! So why does it make since to ban one type of firearm and not all others. Just because of the look of a type of firearm, makes it look more dangerous is ridiculous!! A criminal with dangerous intent can cause massive carnage, no matter what type of firearm they use! To single out the AR15 and variants of this firearm was nothing more than political propaganda, to influence the uneducated and ignorant Canadian voter to vote for a Liberal government, who wants you to think that they will keep you safe by banning these firearms! In reality they are ignoring the real problem which is cross border transporting of illegal black market weapons!! The Trudeau government should spend more of our tax payer dollars on increasing police and border patrols and search and seizures of illegal firearms and focus more on gang related violence and criminal activities!
The refusal of the Trudeau Liberal government to submit to due process with regard to formulating policy of any kind is evidenced everyday by their current spending policy, using the pandemic as cover and justification. That they chose the route of an Order In Council – essentially by-passing any kind of parliamentary democracy or accountability, is only one part of what sticks in the craw of legal and licensed firearms owners. That this same process is now applicable to any future government for any reason – to pursue a policy agenda without having to go through the inconvenience of parliamentary process, perhaps? – should be a red flag the size of Hudson’s Bay to all Canadians in terms of what their actual property rights are under law, versus what they think they are. We are finding out that we are bereft of many of the rights and recourses open to our southern neighbours and that in itself is highly disturbing, if not frightening. Firearm owners now find themselves in a fight for the property rights of all Canadians, not just themselves. What happens in this court case has far-reaching effect for everyone and as such, all Canadians, regardless of whether they own firearms or not, if they want government authorities limited and property rights enshrined in case law, should be supporting the CCFR in this case.
After reading an article from some rural Atlantic constituency member that their MP was berated by Trudeau while having a caucus meeting, basic yelling at him to sit down, shut up, that the gun ban issue was already settled, even though there was no debate, minimal member input and that his constituents thoughts are of no concern.
This shows how far down the rabbit hole of totalitarianisms this Liberal government is gone. Today it’s guns, what is next. As this article inferred will gas powered vehicles be next? Well the Canadian people be forced to buy electric cars? What if you cant afford one, then what? Walk or use mass transit, not an option in a country as vast as we are.
Justin Trudeau is trying to ban guns in Canada because he is scared he is the one number one Canadian that should be thrown in jail if you look back and see how many laws he has broken against Canadians he is the one that should be thrown in jail not the legal gun owners I’ve been using my guns My entire life for putting food on the table not for killing people and I will continue to do that until the last day I’m on earth we’re going to rent a safe spot and they will stay there until the last day I’m alive how much more are we Canadians going to take before we stand up for our rights Justin Trudeau will soon have everything we own get that stupid man out of office the entire liberal government should be jailed not legal Canadian it’s time for us to get out of are chair and get him out Canadians can’t be that stupid wake up and wake up fast
It is time we put our money where our mouth is people.With 2.2 million gun owners in this country,even $20 from all of us,we can put up a good fight in the courts.We all have spent far more on less important stuff.Let’s show this fool that we will be no pushover.
My issue is Trudeau/Blair being able to continue this charade at incredible cost to taxpayers. WHY ARE OUR POLITICIANS NOT HELD PERSONALLY FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ELECTIONEERING UNDER THE GUISE OF MAKING CANADIANS SAFER? Scurrilous legislation would be lessened if M.P.’s, instead of the Canadian taxpayer, became responsible for their incompetence.
Arbitrarily banning various versions of the same firearm is beyond ignorant. There are already many that are banned and severely restricted. Hell, the way the PAL regulations read, some people don’t even need to show picture ID on a PAL to buy firearms and ammunition. "Religious reasons"? There is absolutely no need for the thousands of versions of cars we have available. Trudeau doesn’t need daddy’s Mercedes sports car. It is just nice to have and to drive. Following his thinking, it should be crushed. He doesn’t NEED an armoured car to get around when a Smart Car will do the job. There is no need for every manufacturer to make their own versions of mini-vans or crossovers. One is plenty. How about his flitting around the world on multiple airplanes when we have internet meetings? He can damn well charter a small twin-engine 6 passenger plane. Why are the Parliament buildings being renovated at a cost of hundreds of millions when few attend and Trudeau rarely bothers to show up?