The federal government is pursuing an election promise to repeal portions of Bill C-42, the Common Sense Firearms Licensing bill, and say it will be replaced with a different piece of legislation — the United Nations (UN) Arms Trade Treaty.
The federal government is pursuing an election promise to repeal portions of Bill C-42, the Common Sense Firearms Licensing bill, and say it will be replaced with a different piece of legislation — the United Nations (UN) Arms Trade Treaty.
It means new handguns and other weapons sold in Canada will be required to carry a new marking on them designating their country of origin.
This is in addition to the already existent serial numbers stamped onto each.
Peace River-Westlock MP Arnold Viersen says the Conservatives do not think this additional paperwork is worth the effort and suggested in the story on Page 1A that the Arms Trade Treaty is simply doubling up on information already available to police and other agencies through the serial numbers on each weapon.
Viersen said there are other countries who have agreed to the treaty in principle, but if our federal government adopts and implements it, Canada will be the on the hook for the cost.
There is merit to the idea of adding identification to weapons made in Canada and sold overseas, especially those sold by arms dealers to persons of ill repute, but let’s be honest.
It’s fantasy to believe there aren’t individuals who do this in our country.
The reality, even from the government’s standpoint, is that it is impossible to know how many Canadians are involved in arms trafficking.
Estimates provided by Viersen indicate the average cost of rifles and handguns will increase by approximately $200.
This is due to the fact there is a massive amount of weapons that need to be inventoried.
The editorial staff of the Barrhead Leader acknowledges the benefit of joining with the other signatories to the Arms Trade Treaty and would like to point out that the treaty is not aimed at limiting the amount of guns a person owns, nor is the RCMP going to come and confiscate your weapons, unless of course you are in violation of a weapons prohibition or use them in some crime.
All it will mean at the end of the day is that instead of one permit to own and transport, you will need two — one to own, one to transport.
It is pretty straightforward.
While we will allow it and it is a bit of a nuisance to have to do more paperwork or to have to pay an additional fee, at the end of the day, accountability should be the aim of every government.
Those who would sell weapons to individuals willing to commit genocidal acts should be held accountable.
