Canada Bans More Firearms, Eyes Donations to Ukraine
Canada Bans 324 More Firearms, eyes Donation to Ukraine
Ottawa, Ontario – Canada announced a ban on 324 additional firearm varieties Thursday, labeling them as weapons belonging on battlefields, not in the hands of hunters or sport shooters. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc emphasized the government’s commitment to removing these firearms from circulation.
“This means these firearms can no longer be used,” LeBlanc stated.
The move follows a May 2020 ban on over 1,500 makes and models of firearms, a number that has as grown to more than 2,000. Gun-control advocates had expressed concerns that many assault-style firearms were not included in the initial ban.
Adding another layer to the announcement, Defense Minister Bill Blair revealed that Canada is exploring the possibility of donating some of the banned firearms to Ukraine to support their fight against Russia’s invasion.
“Every bit of assistance we can offer to the Ukrainians is one step toward their victory,” Blair saeid.
The federal government is working with provinces, territories, and police to implement a buyback program for prohibited weapons currently owned by individuals.This latest action comes on the eve of the 35th anniversary of the École Polytechnique shooting in Montreal, where a gunman killed 14 women before taking his own life. The Ruger Mini-14 used in that tragedy was among the weapons banned in 2020.
Nathalie Provost, a survivor of the École Polytechnique shooting who was wounded in the attack, expressed her support for the ban.
“These are just killing weapons, war weapons, military weapons, so I’m proud we are doing something,” Provost said.
While mass shootings are relatively rare in Canada compared to the United States, the government acknowledges that illegally smuggled guns are often used in criminal activity.
Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the announcement, calling it a “stunt” by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government that unfairly targets “licensed & law-abiding hunters and sport shooters.”
Canada Expands Firearms Ban, Considers donation to Ukraine
Ottawa, Ontario – In a move aimed at curbing gun violence, Canada has banned an additional 324 firearm varieties, bringing the total number of prohibited weapons to over 2,000. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced the ban Thursday, stating that these firearms “belong on battlefields, not in the hands of hunters or sport shooters.”
The ban follows a May 2020 prohibition on over 1,500 makes and models, which gun-control advocates argued did not adequately address the issue of assault-style weapons in circulation.
Adding a further dimension to the declaration, Defense Minister Bill Blair revealed that Canada is exploring the possibility of donating some of the banned firearms to Ukraine to aid in their defense against Russia’s invasion. “Every bit of assistance we can offer to the Ukrainians is one step toward their victory,” blair said.
The federal government is collaborating with provinces, territories, and police to implement a buyback program for prohibited weapons currently in private hands.
This latest action coincides with the 35th anniversary of the École Polytechnique shooting in Montreal, where a gunman killed 14 women. The Ruger Mini-14 used in the tragedy was among the weapons banned in 2020.
Nathalie Provost, a survivor of the École Polytechnique shooting who was wounded in the attack, expressed her support for the ban, stating “These are just killing weapons, war weapons, military weapons, so I’m proud we are doing something.”
While mass shootings remain relatively infrequent in Canada compared to the United States, the government acknowledges the problem of illegally smuggled guns contributing to criminal activity.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the announcement, characterizing it as a “stunt” by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government that unfairly targets “licensed & law-abiding hunters and sport shooters.”