害羞草研究所

Skip to content

This B.C. gun shop is selling out of pistols amid upcoming federal freeze

Wanstalls owner critical of government害羞草研究所檚 new gun control measures
29343268_web1_craigjones
Craig Jones, co-owner of Wanstalls, holds an AR15 variant, when they were legal to sell, with two Glock 22害羞草研究所檚 in the foreground. (THE NEWS/files)

The response to new gun laws in Canada has been swift 害羞草研究所 in just two days, customers had already bought almost all the handguns at Wanstalls Hunting and Shooting in Maple Ridge.

Owner Craig Jones remarked that if there hasn害羞草研究所檛 been a loud reaction from the industry 害羞草研究所 shops like his, it害羞草研究所檚 because they are busy selling out their stock. The rush on firearms comes after new restrictions that are the most dramatic changes yet in the industry, he said. They will essentially place a cap on the number of handguns in Canada.

On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a coming national freeze on importing, buying or selling handguns, as his government presented new gun control legislation, Bill C-21, in the House of Commons.

The will also see the government begin buying back thousands of assault-style weapons. The government banned 1,500 models and variants of these guns in 2020.

害羞草研究所淥ne Canadian killed by gun violence is one too many. I害羞草研究所檝e seen all too well the tragic cost that gun violence has in our communities across the country,害羞草研究所 said Trudeau. 害羞草研究所淭oday, we害羞草研究所檙e proposing some of the strongest measures in Canadian history to keep guns out of our communities and build a safer future for everyone.害羞草研究所

READ ALSO:

The law will also require long gun magazines to be permanently altered so they can hold no more than five rounds, and large-capacity magazine sales or transfers will be banned.

They also allow for gun owners to have gun licenced revoked if they are involved in crimes such as domestic violence, harassment or stalking.

READ ALSO:

At the same time, the government pledged to fight gun smuggling and illegal sales through law enforcement and border security measures.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 probably going to mean a 25 per cent reduction in our business, it害羞草研究所檚 definitely going to hurt,害羞草研究所 said Jones of the new measures. 害羞草研究所淎nd it害羞草研究所檚 for no reason.害羞草研究所

He said consumers, retailers and manufacturers of firearms in Canada were not part of the discussion with government, so many in his industry were expecting they would see strict regulation.

害羞草研究所淚 would have asked them to allocate their resources toward tightening up border restrictions, some anti-gang initiatives, or maybe even funding an RCMP anti (gun) trafficking section,害羞草研究所 said Jones. 害羞草研究所淲e have the longest border in the world, with the most armed populace in the world.害羞草研究所

He said the flow of illegal guns from the U.S. has been unchecked, and the new laws target law-abiding gun owners.

Jones joins a chorus in the shooting sports who say background checks, storage regulations, mandatory education and other factors have kept Canada from having the same problems with gun violence as seen in the U.S. Still, government is currying favour with voters who aren害羞草研究所檛 educated about firearms.

He doesn害羞草研究所檛 see buying back legally sold assault-style weapons as promoting safety, or as a wise investment.

害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 have assault rifles in Canada. Those have been prohibited for decades,害羞草研究所 he said, explaining that an assault rifle is typically defined as a weapon that fires fully automatic, has a large-capacity magazine and fires an intermediate cartridge.

He said AR-15s that have been legally sold in Canada are simply semi-automatic rifles that hold five rounds.

害羞草研究所淭he AR-15 is no deadlier than any other rifle,害羞草研究所 he said. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 nothing that fits the definition of assault rifle that害羞草研究所檚 been sold in Canada for 40-50 years.害羞草研究所

Jones said the resources for buying back assault rifles could be better spent buying MRIs for hospitals.

害羞草研究所淒o something that might actually save some lives, because these measures don害羞草研究所檛.害羞草研究所

READ ALSO:


Have a story tip? Email: ncorbett@mapleridgenews.com
Like us on and follow us on .


Neil Corbett

About the Author: Neil Corbett

I have been a journalist for more than 30 years, the past decade with the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News.
Read more



(or

害羞草研究所

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }