Hit the Right Target: MLA Getson speaks against the Federal Gun Ban

On June 13^th I attended my first ever rally at the Alberta Legislature. I joined a great many like-minded Albertans who are not going to sit quietly and allow the Federal government to trample our property rights. We were all present to add our voices to the thousands of Albertans who are concerned that an ill-conceived Order in Council, executed to drive a wedge between Canadians, would take away our legally purchased and responsibly handled property.

I had an opportunity to add my voice to many of the speakers and spoke briefly about growing up on the farm and how guns were just another tool that was required to keep meat on the table and our livestock safe from predators. Speaking to the evolution of the firearms technology, I posed the question: “do you need a C8 Corvette with a mid-engine that can do zero to 60 in 3.2 seconds? Do you need a modular sporting rifle that can cost several thousand dollars?” Obviously, no you don’t, but it’s nice to have and if you are prepared to make the sacrifice in order to save and pay for it, it is your right. Both my grandfathers fought for the rights and freedoms we enjoy today and many are still serving in uniform to make sure that those rights are protected. For the government to take those rights away is unacceptable!

This gun ban has very serious consequences for many small business owners who are finding themselves with inventory that is now illegal. Their businesses and their contributions to our economy and the economic diversity of our great Province, are extremely important and cannot be allowed to be destroyed with the stroke of a pen by a reckless Prime Minister who is pandering to urban voters and posturing to fight an election campaign by creating this wedge issue. It cannot and will not be implemented without a fight!

The language around this issue is designed to prey on people’s fears and not present a logical argument because, of course, there is no logical argument for the gun grab.

This must be opposed in every peaceful way possible. Do you have a short video you would like to share? The people outside of our community need to hear it. We need to reach the hearts and minds of those who are undecided or opposed on this issue with our stories. Post them on your social media and send us a link or send us the video and we will post it on our website and Facebook page. Check out my speech in the Legislature on this issue at: Hit the Right Target – Response to Federal Legislation on Gun Control

 

Jason Kenney, Premier

“We have heard loud and clear that Albertans are frustrated with policies designed for downtown Toronto and want a system that works better for Alberta. A provincially appointed chief firearms officer would better meet the needs and priorities of Albertans while improving services for law-abiding gun owners.”

Doug Schweitzer, Minister of Justice and Solicitor General

“Albertans are unhappy with Ottawa putting politics ahead of public safety. If the Government of Canada wants to step up the fight against gun crime, the obvious place to start is to target the illegal gun smugglers who are arming gangs and fuelling violence in our communities. It makes far more sense than wasting millions of taxpayers’ dollars buying back legal firearms from responsible, trained, and fully licensed firearms owners. I am pleased that Alberta’s government is taking a stand against this heavy-handed policy by working to appoint our own chief firearms officer.”

Jason Nixon, Government House Leader

“As chair of the Alberta Firearms Advisory Committee, I look forward to working with law-abiding farmers, hunters and sport-shooters to provide thoughtful recommendations to the chief provincial firearms officer to craft sensible policies that reflect the needs of Alberta’s firearms owners. Our government was hired in record numbers on a mandate that speaks to the issues that matter most to Albertans. Appointing a chief provincial firearms officer will fulfil one of our key campaign commitments.”

 Michaela Glasgo, MLA for Brooks-Medicine Hat, and chair, Alberta Firearms Advisory Committee

“Our organization believes that the ultimate goal of firearms policy needs to be ‘safe streets and safe communities.’ If asserting provincial jurisdiction contributes positively to that goal, then we are supportive of it. Responsible firearms ownership and respect for property rights of law-abiding citizens need to be cornerstones of any actions we take.”

 

Robert Gruszecki, president, Alberta Hunter Education Instructors’ Association

Over the next year, the government will work to establish the firearms office and how it will ensure the needs of Albertans are considered in the provincial administration of the Firearms Act, as well as work with Public Safety Canada to ensure a seamless transition. The chief provincial firearms office is expected to be in place in 2021.

Q & A about the Chief Firearms Officer

1. Can Alberta exempt itself from federal firearms legislation and/or allow Albertans to possess weapons that have been banned by the federal government?

• The recent Order in Council regarding prohibited and restricted firearms was enabled by federal legislation that is outside Alberta’s jurisdiction.
• However, this announcement and another recent one highlight three ways the province can adapt firearms policy and governance to better reflect the priorities of Albertans:
  • Taking over firearms testing helps protect Albertans by focusing our resources on ensuring that violent criminals are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
  • The firearms advisory committee will give law-abiding gun owners an opportunity to make recommendations about Alberta’s firearms policies.
  • Establishing a chief provincial firearms office to strengthen our ability to administer the firearms program while improving services for law-abiding gun owners.
• A provincial Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) will strengthen our ability to administer the firearms program while improving services for law-abiding gun owners. These include recommendations on licensing, transportation of firearms and in what conditions, as well as potential issues involving licensed firearms ranges.
• A provincially-appointed CFO would better reflect Alberta’s priorities and be more closely aligned with Alberta’s history of responsible firearms use and ownership.
• A provincially-run firearms office could work more closely with the provincial Crown to divert non-criminal, non-violent offences from the court and deal with them through regulatory processes.

Using investigative and regulatory powers at the CFO’s disposal can be a more appropriate way of dealing with minor offences in Alberta.

 

2. What will the Chief Provincial Firearms Officer (CPFO) do?

• The Chief Provincial Firearms Officer is responsible for the full administration of the federal Firearms Act which is supported by policies and standard operating procedures developed at the federal level.
• Having a provincially-appointed chief firearms officer would allow us to develop these policies and procedures to reflect Albertans’ culture of lawful gun ownership.
• Generally, a chief firearm officer, whether federally or provincially appointed, has the following responsibilities:
  • Designating/licensing firearms officers, inspectors, and Canadian Firearms Safety Course and Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course instructors and examiners;
  • Administering the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course;
  • Licensing, including the revocation and conditions of the licenses of individuals, businesses, shooting clubs and ranges and minors;
  • Inspecting and auditing all licensees;
  • Approving and regulating shooting clubs and ranges;
  • Receiving, data entry and client-matching for all court orders reported to the chief firearms officer under the Firearms Act;
  • Transfer approvals and refusals for restricted and prohibited firearms;
  • Approving firearm purchases and sales;
  • Issuing Authorizations to Transport and Authorizations to Carry firearms; and
  • Providing assistance to police, licensing affidavits for court purposes, attendance as witnesses at hearings.

 

3. How will the administration of the Firearms Act be different under a provincial officer?

• Having a provincially-appointed chief firearms officer would allow us to develop supporting policies and procedures to reflect Albertans’ culture of lawful gun ownership.
• This means that Chief Provincial Firearms Officer would have the ability work with police and prosecutors to develop a more appropriate way of dealing with minor offences and address Albertans’ concerns about the current system’s responsiveness to their queries for processing and licencing.
• The CPFO would also be in a better position to work more closely with partner agencies, such as police, fish and wildlife officers, Alberta Crown Prosecution Service.

 

4. How will this improve services for Albertans?

• We’ve heard that Albertans have been frustrated by the lack of responsiveness to their queries for processing and licensing.
• This approach would allow us to make decisions about staffing levels and delivering services that better suit the needs of Albertans and take our province’s firearms culture into account.
• This will give us the authority to prioritize certain key responsibilities of a CPFO, like safety inspections, that reflect the concerns and values of Albertans.
• It would also reduce the strain on the justice system by giving us more coordination between the CPFO and crown prosecution service to divert lower-offences from the courts.

 

5. When can we expect the office to be in place?

• Over the next months, the government will work on establishing the firearms office and ensure it considers the needs of Albertans in the provincial administration of the Firearms Act, as well as working with Public Safety Canada to ensure a seamless transition.
• A letter has been sent to the federal government to inform them of Alberta’s decision.
• The chief provincial firearms office is expected to be in place in 2021.

 

6. When will government appoint a Chief Provincial Firearms Officer?

• Part of the work that the government will be doing over the next few months will be identifying the best candidates for the Chief Provincial Firearms Officer.
• The ideal candidate would be an Albertan who understands the culture and firearms priorities of Alberta and can work with our partner agencies to ensure that we are able to meet the needs of law abiding gun owners in the province.

 

7. How much will this new office cost Albertans?

• We are currently working with the federal government on the reallocation of funds to run the provincial office.
• We are expecting a one-time start-up investment of approximately $489,000 to establish the Alberta Chief Firearms Office. Ongoing operating budget is under development but will be off-set by a funding agreement with federal government.

 

8. What other provinces have their-own chief firearms officer?

• Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia have a provincially designated chief firearms officer.
• Like Alberta, Saskatchewan is in the process of transitioning to a provincially designated CFO.

 

9. How can Alberta, or any Province, administer Federal legislation?

• Under the provisions of the Firearms Act, provinces and territories can elect to “opt-in” and administer the Canadian Firearms Program within their jurisdictions, through a provincially designated chief firearms officer, or they can choose to “opt-out” and have the federal government administer the program on their behalf.

 

If asked if a provincial firearms office would address law-abiding gun owners’ concerns about federal restrictions and lengthy processing times for licence applications:

1. Prohibited and restricted firearms are governed by federal legislation and don’t fall under a provincial chief firearms officer’s jurisdiction.
2. Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) applications are processed by the federal government.

• We would be able to make decisions about staffing levels and delivering services that better suit the needs of Albertans and take our province’s culture into account.

Key Facts

1. Alberta shares its federally-appointed chief firearms officer with the Northwest Territories.
2. Ontario and Nova Scotia each have provincially-appointed chief firearms officers, whose offices are administered at the provincial level.

• On March 4, 2020, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told delegates at the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities annual convention that the province would appoint its own chief firearms officer.

Background:

• Alberta’s chief firearms officer is currently a federal appointee, but provincial governments can name their own appointee and assume more control over firearms administration.
• The federal government recently made changes to firearms legislation. Key components include:
• Enhanced background checks: Applicants for a PAL will now have their entire lifetime examined, rather than just the previous five years.
• Mandatory record keeping: Businesses must now record dates, references and licence number as well as make, model, type and serial number of all firearms. Businesses must retain these records for 20 years.
• Around authorization to transport (ATT): narrowing rules, including requiring a separate ATT when taking firearms anywhere but an approved firing range.
• Classification of firearms: The RCMP was given authority to decide whether a firearm is non-restricted, restricted or prohibited.
• Municipalities are the legal offspring of provincial governments, meaning any municipal ban granted by Ottawa would require further approval from the province. Alberta does not intend to grant municipalities the authority to ban firearms.

Best Regards,

Shane Getson, MLA

Lac Ste Anne – Parkland County

www.lacsteanneparkland.ca

Alberta Firearms Advisory committee members:

• Michaela Glasgo, chair, MLA for Brooks-Medicine Hat
• Todd Loewen, MLA for Central Peace-Notley
• Shane Getson, MLA for Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland
• Rick Hanson, former chief, Calgary Police Service
• Teri Bryant, associate professor, University of Calgary Haskayne School of Business
• Bob Gruszecki, president, Alberta Hunter Education Instructors’ Association
• Phil Harnois, gun shop owner (P & D Enterprises) and 25-year Edmonton police veteran
• Gail Garrett, vice-president, Alberta Federation of Shooting Sports
• Lynda Kiejko, member of 2016 Canadian Olympic shooting team
• Andrew Blundell, vice-president, Canadian Historical Arms Society/Genesee Range
• Linley Coward, co-owner, Bullets and Broadheads Range in Grande Prairie
• Nicholas Lui, competitive shooter and Canadian Armed Forces veteran