The federal government’s mandatory gun “buyback” program, implemented by the Trudeau administration, has been met with significant resistance by the industry association tasked with facilitating the retrieval of these now-banned firearms from Canadian retailers.
In this regard, CSAAA had contracted professionals who were mandated to purchase prohibited guns. The liberals have limited knowledge concerning firearms according to CSAAA president Wes Winkel, thus adding more complexity in an already complicated task as he stated that it is impossible to sell them and their insurance policies are expensive.
He complained about the arbitrary nature of decision making by Justin Trudeau’s administration which left both manufacturers and sellers in a constant state of uncertainty forcing most of them to permanently exit the Canadian market. “Where you’re banning style of firearm, there’s no mechanical definition for what is prohibited. It is thus a random decision from a group of people then we find it difficult as an industry to know what will be legal and what won’t be,” he said.
Wes Winkel says that this order-in-council was driven by emotion on behalf of Minister Blair and still remains a burden for retailers and civil servants who continue dealing with any consequences arising from such flawed law-making. “I actually feel for the bureaucrats in the system that are trying to navigate it afterwards because they get thrown a terrible file and they say, ‘clean this up.’ And it really isn’t that easy to clean up.” He said.
Accordingly, Winkel accused Trudeau’s government for playing politics with industries claiming that his sector “has been used as pawns in political game.” It means public sentiment towards guns would not be dealt with before next general election through extending amnesty period.
It shows how frustrated industry players have been with respect to handling of firearms issue by Trudeau government leading to political stunts rather than well-thought policy. Also, millions being spent yet nothing has been purchased in relation to the buyback program only serves to stoke anti-Trudeau sentiment.
Winkel claims that CSAAA is “in a real catch 22” because of its intermediation between the federal Government and Canadian gun rights advocates. As such, while they don’t support the buyback programs, the association feels obliged to assist firearms retailers.
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Trudeau’s actions have affected many corporations who are now abandoning Canada’s manufacturing sector due to the uncertainty in their decision making process. “They give up on trying to design guns for the Canadian market,” he said. “It’s been extremely difficult there’s been a lot of frustration with Canada it becomes a really hard thing for our manufacturers and a lot of them just gave up and turned their back on us as a country because they do not know how to participate in our market again.”
The gun industry has widely criticized Trudeau government over its handling of weapons, with industry Association President accusing liberals of playing politics with it and making arbitrary choices. The public would thus not have to face this until after next general elections hence extended amnesty period.
Winkel believes that the problem of those private citizens who already own models now prohibited will be a major election issue. “It’s a much more complicated thing to do than that in Canada, in particular, because it is so rural. I don’t think that process gets going in that time. That could be why the amnesty extended beyond the election period,” he argued. “You do not need to have an IQ of Einstein to predict that this may become an election topic.”
The article goes on to suggest that by extending the amnesty period, the Trudeau government is playing its cards well so as to prevent firearms from becoming a major factor in the upcoming federal general elections. Winkel further supports this claim by arguing that dealing with private owners of banned firearms will still emerge as an unresolved and intricate matter during elections thus indicating Liberal’s political moves instead of addressing this issue sincerely.
The whole article carries a sense of frustration within the industry towards how the firearms issue has been handled by Trudeau’s administration. This characterizing remark made by CSAAA president -“pawn in the politics game” brings out clearly what drives governments actions are more political than any safety concerns or welfare for guns industry.
In addition, besides leading to loss of trust between industry and government, it has also led to mistrust and doubts about government capacity in understanding how policies work. The resultant vacuum due to continued uncertainties has forced industries located here abandon Canadian markets thereby making it hard for gun policies’ implementation by governments.
On balance, according to the article, Trudeau administration is more concerned with optics which satisfy politicians than practical solutions for difficulties occasioned by mandatory gun buyback program. Such opposition depicted within industry just serves as another way through which government can continuously avoid reaching consensus with stakeholders and thereby deepening rifts while undermining credibility over firearm laws under Trudeau.
Last Updated on by Alshaar Ansari
