Firearms lobbyists are furious over Conservative leadership candidate Jean Charest’s vow to.not change Canada’s current gun laws, including a proposed ban on “military-style” firearms..Tony Bernardo,executive director of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, said Charest’s approval of the Liberal government’s “draconian” position on firearms was “totally expected. After all, he is the architect of the Quebec Long-Gun registry.”.Bernardo called Charest’s dismissal of the concerns of 2.2 million gun-owning Canadians “appalling,” adding he “does not possess the slightest recognition that his Liberal cohorts have denigrated these lawful people with their demonizations and allegations.”.“Does Charest know he’s running for the wrong political party? Maybe he’s trying to stand out from the pack and, if so, he ‘s succeeding. He is the darling of the totally untrustworthy mainstream media and the ultra-left of the party,” Bernardo said..“He clearly does not understand that winning while tossing truth and principles into the trash heap is not a win. Conservatives want positive change for Canada, not winning at any cost.”.In a Thursday interview with CTV News, Charest said the focus should be stopping the flow of handguns into Canada from across the U.S. border, and not on regulating farmers and hunters..“I don’t own a firearm, but I’ve enjoyed hunting. And I think that there should be just a common-sense approach brought to this,” he said..However, when asked about the Liberal government’s ban on some 1,500 models of “assault-style” firearms, he said he would stay away from the issue..“I’m not seeking to change the laws as they are. That’s not on my program,” he said..The Liberal government introduced a ban on “assault-style” weapons following a mass shooting in Nova Scotia in May 2020, which killed 22 people and wounded three others..Charest’s position on the issue appears to run contrary to the Conservative party’s, whose critics recently called for the ban to be scrapped and whatever money dedicated to it to be redirected to police and border services..This news comes as the Liberal government is extendingits amnesty on “assault-style” firearms until October 2023, giving gun owners a two-year period to come into compliance with the prohibition..Matthew Horwood is a parliamentary reporter for the Western Standard based in Ottawa.This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
Firearms lobbyists are furious over Conservative leadership candidate Jean Charest’s vow to.not change Canada’s current gun laws, including a proposed ban on “military-style” firearms..Tony Bernardo,executive director of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, said Charest’s approval of the Liberal government’s “draconian” position on firearms was “totally expected. After all, he is the architect of the Quebec Long-Gun registry.”.Bernardo called Charest’s dismissal of the concerns of 2.2 million gun-owning Canadians “appalling,” adding he “does not possess the slightest recognition that his Liberal cohorts have denigrated these lawful people with their demonizations and allegations.”.“Does Charest know he’s running for the wrong political party? Maybe he’s trying to stand out from the pack and, if so, he ‘s succeeding. He is the darling of the totally untrustworthy mainstream media and the ultra-left of the party,” Bernardo said..“He clearly does not understand that winning while tossing truth and principles into the trash heap is not a win. Conservatives want positive change for Canada, not winning at any cost.”.In a Thursday interview with CTV News, Charest said the focus should be stopping the flow of handguns into Canada from across the U.S. border, and not on regulating farmers and hunters..“I don’t own a firearm, but I’ve enjoyed hunting. And I think that there should be just a common-sense approach brought to this,” he said..However, when asked about the Liberal government’s ban on some 1,500 models of “assault-style” firearms, he said he would stay away from the issue..“I’m not seeking to change the laws as they are. That’s not on my program,” he said..The Liberal government introduced a ban on “assault-style” weapons following a mass shooting in Nova Scotia in May 2020, which killed 22 people and wounded three others..Charest’s position on the issue appears to run contrary to the Conservative party’s, whose critics recently called for the ban to be scrapped and whatever money dedicated to it to be redirected to police and border services..This news comes as the Liberal government is extendingits amnesty on “assault-style” firearms until October 2023, giving gun owners a two-year period to come into compliance with the prohibition..Matthew Horwood is a parliamentary reporter for the Western Standard based in Ottawa.This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.