THUNDER BAY – Proposed federal gun control legislation is rankling members of Thunder Bay’s sport shooting community, who fear it could mean the end of their sport.
Some of Bill C-21’s measures, in particular a plan to freeze the sale or transfer of handguns with very limited exceptions, have drawn stiff opposition from many gun owners.
The bill, which is still in second reading and will be subject to committee review in September, would also ban some replica firearms that closely resemble real guns, increase maximum penalties for firearm-related offences like smuggling from 10 to 14 years.
The new legislation comes after the government banned more than 1,500 models of what it calls “assault-style” semi-automatic guns.
Doug Johnson, president of the Thunder Bay District Fish and Game Association, says the handgun ban will wipe out a great deal of sport shooting in the long run.
“It will over time eliminate our sport, really,” he said. “We won’t get new members, because nobody will be able to buy new firearms.”
“You’d see sport shooting essentially disappear,” agreed Jodi Graham, a sport shooter for about 18 years and member of several local shooting leagues.
Both argued those who shoot for a hobby shouldn’t be targeted for greater enforcement, saying legal owners already face significant regulation, and pointed out there’s little evidence that legally registered guns are a significant contributor to gun violence.
Graham said she finds peace in the sport.
“All you think about when you’re shooting is what you’re doing [in that moment],” she said. “You have to make sure there’s nothing happening around you, and that’s what you’re focused on is just you, the gun, and the target – that’s it.”
Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Patty Hajdu, who also serves as Minister of Indigenous Services, said Bill C-21 represents a big step to reduce gun violence at a time when it’s been trending upward in Canada for several years.
“I think this is a very important path we’re on,” she said. “It’s also not a path we chose alone – these kinds of actions have been called for by activists and advocates and survivors of mass shootings.”
She said it’s crucial to protect the rights of hunters, and noted the bill also includes exemptions for some competitive shooters.
“I understand this may hamper recreational handgun ownership and handgun sport shooting,” she said. “But there are actually waivers available for high-level sport shooting athletes and their coaches.”
Graham is eyeing those promised exemptions, but isn’t sure if they’d extend to cover those at her level or only more elite athletes.
In Canada, handguns were used in three-quarters of violent crimes and 60 per cent of homicides in 2020, the government has noted.
Canadian police forces have consistently stated the majority of guns recovered in violent crime investigations are obtained illegally, but there’s little solid evidence.
In a Statistics Canada review of trends on gun violence released earlier this year, the agency found a data gap on the question, stating “there is currently little information available to determine the source of firearms used in crime.”
Hajdu, meanwhile, said there are indications legally owned firearms are a real contributor to gun violence.
She pointed to statistics from the advocacy group the Coalition for Gun Control indicating that nearly 3,000 guns a year are stolen in Canada, and that in 2010, 43.5 per cent of guns recovered in homicide investigations were registered.
“It isn’t just illegal guns that are acquired on the black market that are being used in a violent way. The majority of licensed gun owners are using guns appropriately and safely,” she said. “But the challenge is there’s diversion that happens from legal sources of guns.”
Bill C-21 has drawn both praise and hesitation from police.
“We believe Bill C-21 will help prevent victimization by way of a firearm and improve public safety,” said the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police in a statement. “We believe that a handgun freeze is one method of reducing access to these types of firearms, while allowing existing law-abiding handgun owners to practice their sport.”
“However, we continue to maintain that restricting lawful handgun ownership will not meaningfully address the real issue: illegal handguns obtained from the United States that have led to the disturbing current trend in gun violence that is largely related to gangs, street gangs, and more sophisticated organized crime groups.”
The group said other measures in Bill C-21, like new firearms-related offences, tougher border controls, and “red flag” laws that would allow people to apply for court-ordered firearm prohibitions for individuals who may pose a risk to themselves or others, are more promising.
Graham believes the government’s approach to gun control is more about politics than policy.
“They want to make themselves look good in front of the rest of Canada that isn’t educated enough to know better,” she said.
The rules in Bill C-21 will “do absolutely nothing to combat gun crime – nothing. All they do is punish law-abiding gun owners,” she added.
Johnson agreed.
“I don’t think it’s going to be effective at all towards the actual problem,” he said. “The majority of the firearms that are used in these gun crimes… are primarily already prohibited in Canada, and more than likely brought in illegally across the border.”
“Instead of wasting money on legislation like this, they should be directing it towards border services and enforcement, cracking down on shipments crossing the border. We have a big long undefended border, but there’s got to be a better way to keep an eye on it.”
Hajdu said the government has made “massive investments” in tighter border security to tackle gun trafficking.
She also said there’s still plenty of opportunity to review submissions from advocates including sport shooting groups as the bill is reviewd in committee.
“There’s always that chance that there will be amendments, but I will say, the goal of the bill is to reduce gun violence. I don’t think the government will be interested in amendments that in any way water down the protection of communities and people.”
The process of drawing up the proposed legislation involved significant consultation with both gun owner and victims’ groups, Hajdu said.
Based on the results, Johnson isn’t confident the government is receptive to sport shooters’ feedback.
“I don’t think they’ve listened to sport shooters at all,” he said.
Still, the association has urged members to make their case to local representatives.
“I don’t want to think it’s inevitable,” he said. “We’re encouraging our members to write letters to their MPs, to Senators.”
Note: An earlier version of this article stated Bill C-21 is in first reading. In fact, it has completed second reading and is awaiting review by the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security. TBnewswatch apologizes for the error.
