On Thursday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said that the commission that looked into the 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia didn’t pay enough attention to the victims or the specifics of the shooter’s illegally smuggled firearms.
Poilievre stated at a press conference late on Thursday, “The commission is really an outrage, the way they ignored the victims of the crime that happened.”
Poilievre’s remarks were made in light of an inquiry on the Mass Setback Commission (MCC’s) suggestions on guns. Contained in the commission’s 3,000-page report — which analyzed the occasions of April 18-19, 2020, that left 22 individuals dead and three harmed — are 130 suggestions for the RCMP, as well as commonplace and national legislatures.
According to the MCC’s report, all semi-automatic handguns, semi-automatic rifles, and shotguns that can accept detachable magazines with capacities greater than five rounds or that fire center-fire ammunition should be outlawed in Canada’s Criminal Code.
Additionally, the commission recommends strengthening cooperation with authorities in the United States to stop illegal weapons from entering Canada through that country and prohibiting the transfer of firearm ownership through estates when a person dies. Gabriel Wortman smuggled in and illegally acquired the guns he used in the mass shooting from the United States.
During the press conference, Poilievre had been discussing the need for bail reform and rising crime. He responded by saying that the federal government needed to “stop going after hunters and start going after criminals.”
He stated, “The shooting that you referred to was done with illegal firearms, not smuggled firearms.”
In order to “stop the flow of illegal guns coming from the United States,” the Conservative leader stated that his primary focus would be to secure Canada’s southern border. Additionally, he stated that “so that we take those criminals off the streets and put them behind bars where they can no longer do harm,” he would reinstate mandatory jail time for repeat gun criminals.
Poilievre also said that banning hunting rifles won’t stop crimes involving knives. Poilievre gave a list of recent crimes committed with knives earlier in the press conference.
Stabbings on the LRT system in Calgary or Toronto will not be stopped by banning a rural hunter from participating in a great Canadian tradition of the outdoors. He said, “Stop the distractions and focus on the problem.”
Many of the report’s recommendations, including extensive suggestions for RCMP reform, have been adopted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government.
“Canadians deserve to feel safe in their communities, whether it’s in the form of gun control, community policing, support for people with mental health issues, or both. On April 3, Trudeau stated, “There is a lot that we need to do, and we will be there as a federal government doing it.”
Jagmeet Singh, leader of the NDP, said that the commission’s recommendations on gun control should be implemented right away.
The report emphasizes the urgent need for more stringent gun control measures and improved assault weapon tracking and reporting. On March 30, Singh stated, “We urge the federal government to implement these recommendations immediately.”
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