How Gun Control Impacts Canadian Hunters
I never want to get too political in my personal life, including on this little "Why We Hunt" thing. I try to leave that to my work life. But, after some trending feedback from some of the attendees of an SCI Dinner I had the honour of speaking at, I think we need to have a little talk. I am going to try hard not to bum you out too much while I talk about our current and new gun laws and how they impact hunters. So many just don't know, and that's understandable.
For those that are new here, my name is Jenn, and I am the Managing Director of the CSAAA – the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association, an organization that works to promote and protect businesses that operate under the hunting and firearm sector. They represent manufacturers, distributors, retailers, outfitters, and businesses that contribute to and serve the hunting and firearm sector.
I am also an avid hunter and sport shooter myself, so of course this is all very close to my heart and it greatly impacts my personal way of life... and of course the men and women that the organization I work for represents.
So the gun laws in Canada seem to change every time there is tragic shooting across the border or when the government needs an "impactful headline" to hit the general public. The laws are also poorly communicated to those that they impact, they’re also very difficult to decipher and at the end of the day, they don’t make much sense if the goal is public safety.
I feel as though many of us became more aware after that big sweeping ban in May of 2020. And before I move off that one – it’s important to know that they are still adding firearms to that list of prohibited firearms. For instance, there have been firearms consistently added since the prohibition was announced, and there were over 80 firearms added at the end of December. Months after the original list was released, I realized that a shotgun I used to love using for turkey hunting, hit the prohibition list.
Now, this shotgun did have a detachable magazine and it looks more sporty than traditional, so it wasn’t a huge shock to see it hit the list after looking at what else was on the list, but it’s still frustrating and I would not have known if I wasn’t actively involved and looking at this list. If you are concerned about a firearm you own being prohibited or becoming prohibited, I recommend you scan through a website called Armalytics, where they regularly update the status of every firearm.
One of the biggest changes we have seen recently are the changes brought on by Bill C-21.
Bill C-21 gave us the handgun transfer freeze, and this prohibits the legal transfer, purchase or sale of handguns. Even when the handgun owner passes away. Now, we can’t really use handguns to hunt in Canada, so at first glance it seems that this really won’t impact hunters, BUT this was a huge blow to the industry. Handgun sales made up over 30% of revenue for most businesses, and some much much higher than that.
The decline in sales of handguns, pistol ammunition, and sporting equipment not only impacts the businesses but it also makes the firearms, ammunition, and equipment hunters use and rely on more expensive and harder to find as more businesses close and fewer shipments coming in or being allotted to the Canadian market come in at higher import costs.
You would think that the prohibitions would stop there, but we are concerned about sweeping long gun bans in the future by the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee (CFAC). This committee will be formed in the near future and holds the power to reclassify and prohibit firearms as they see fit. Our fear is that this liberal appointed committee will consist mainly of victims’ groups that are biased and dangerously uninformed about firearms.
This committee hasn’t formed yet, and as representatives of the firearm industry, CSAAA hopes to get a seat at that table to try to minimize their damage and bring some firearm expertise to the committee. I know there are most likely many organizations that are assets to this community that deserve a seat as well.
So that’s the concern for the future of firearms that currently exist, but it doesn’t stop there.
This bill also targets new models that will hit the market in the future. Centerfire, semiautomatic firearms that can accept a magazine that holds more than 5 rounds will be automatically prohibited upon manufacturing.
So, basically, if a manufacturer comes out with a new model of a centrefire, semiautomatic firearm that has magazines capable of holding more than 5 rounds on the market, that gun would automatically be classified as prohibited in Canada.
Most of the guns used by Canadians are manufactured outside of Canada, and the Canadian market is so small on the world scale and our laws are so convoluted that manufacturers will not create guns that fit our unique laws.
This is tough because certain species are easier to hunt with a semiautomatic firearm, semiautomatics are ideal for wildlife protection, and some hunters with physical disabilities rely on the usability and function of a semiautomatic firearm. Again, these generalized prohibitions clearly impact the wrong people if the goal is in fact public safety.
Alright, I am done boring and depressing you with all that. I want the main takeaway to be what we can do to turn things around. This is not a way of life that I want to see die off, and I think we all want to see generations after us be able to enjoy Canada’s healthy hunting and firearm culture.
Something many of us already do, is take newbies out hunting. Not only does it help us grow this community, but it also educates more people on what hunting is, showing them what kind of ethics, rules and regulations we follow and helping us educate others and fight the stigma. Get kids and women involved, if you have friends that seem interested, offer to take them out. People’s mind’s change drastically when they see the way of life firstand.
It is also important to stay informed and involved. Try to stay up to date on what laws are coming down the pipeline so you can react and reach out to your member of parliament letting them know why the new laws concern you and how they impact your life.
It’s also crucial to keep supporting organizations that give us a louder voice and allow us to fight and be heard on a much larger platform. As always, if you have any questions, let me know!
