A DIFFICULT PROPOSITION – It would be ‘strenuous’ to keep records for 20 years detailing firearms sales and inventories, says Jason Gendron, the general manager of Hougen’s Sportslodge.

Pressure mounts for Ottawa to scrap C-71 More than 200 Yukon residents have signed an online petition calling on the federal government to scrap Bill C-71. By Palak Mangat on April 20, 2018

More than 200 Yukon residents have signed an online petition calling on the federal government to scrap Bill C-71.

They claim it unfairly targets lawful gun owners with increased red-tape in an attempt to tighten the country’s firearm laws.

The proposed legislation, tabled last month, could see enhanced background checks, more detailed record-keeping on the part of vendors and new regulations around the transportation of firearms.

If passed, it would also require retailers to maintain records for 20 years detailing sales and inventories – something that the general manager of Hougen’s Sportslodge in Whitehorse says is “strenuous” and difficult in a retail environment.

“I don’t think the onus should be put on us to keep records for 20 years,” Jason Gendron said in an interview this week, adding that he suspects the tedious process may demotivate customers and drive down sales.

“When the gun registry came into effect years ago, some customers were a bit reluctant to purchase new firearms. We’re not exactly sure why, but we did hear it on the sales floor.”

That, Gendron feared, paired with the background check extending to an owner’s entire life rather than just the last \five years, would unfairly target lawful gun owners.

Meanwhile, Yukon MP Larry Bagnell supports the bill, saying it does indeed target the right people: those who are in possession of dangerous weapons and not lawful gun-owners like trappers and hunters.

“If the bill was passed yesterday, they could hunt and trap today” without many issues, Bagnell told the Star Tuesday.

Bagnell, a long-time Liberal, lost the 2011 election to Conservative Ryan Leef after voting in favour of keeping the long-gun registry. He came under fire from some Yukoners who wanted the federal government to scrap the policy.

“What people with guns have told me, is to concentrate on people that shouldn’t have guns, and not the guns themselves,” Bagnell said.

To do this, he said, the bill would not only extend background checks to an applicant’s entire life, but also examine their medical history for any signs of mental illness related to violent crimes.

The federal Liberal vowed to tighten legislation around the sale and licensing of guns during the 2015 election, pledging last year to allocate more than $300 million to fight gun crime and criminal gang activity in the country.

“It was in our platform, and no one complained at that time,” Bagnell said.

While he acknowledged that vendors having to go through an online process to verify that a customer has a valid licence may be inconvenient, they should be willing to in the name of safety.

“I can understand the frustration of red tape,” he admitted. “But I think in general, people don’t want handguns or restricted weapons, assault weapons, these types of more dangerous weapons, to be anywhere at any time.”

However, the bill requires even those selling non-restricted firearms – such as shotguns and hunting rifles commonly used across the country in hunting – to go through the same process of verifying licences through a registrar.

That provision has got the Yukon’s provincial parties on the offensive.

The Yukon Party’s Wade Istchenko and Brad Cathers raised motions in the house last week to urge the government to oppose the bill, insisting that it lacked support among residents.

“Most Yukoners have opposed the idea,” Cathers told the Star Tuesday, praising the goal of the federal Liberals’ bill but insisting it “misses the target completely.

“The Yukon legislative assembly has twice unanimously passed motions opposing the long-gun registry,” he pointed out.

Cathers added that while most Canadians support the intent of reducing crime, he feels the Trudeau Liberals are misguided.

“I question what the federal government’s goal on this actually are,” he said, referencing the policy that would require licence verification for all guns, including non-restricted firearms.

“To target gun violence, you need to have measurements that focus on the problem, and Bill C-71 misses the target completely” by focusing instead on the owners.

Cathers also pointed out that the bill would increase work for the RCMP, eventually returning the country to a long-gun registry, this time through the “backdoor.”

The bill would see the Mounties entrusted with the duty of classifying firearms under the categories of restricted, non-restricted and prohibited – a power that was diminished by the Harper Conservative government by allowing cabinet to override the Mounties’ decision.

Concerns of a long-gun registry are also being echoed by the Yukon Fish and Games Association.

The organization’s executive director, Gordon Zealand, issued a public letter on the association’s Facebook page almost two weeks ago, after first telling the CBC that he supported the bill.

After facing criticism from some of his members and the public, Zealand reverted the association’s position.

He said he absolutely understands the goal but agrees that the bill is simply misguided.

“We support more effective ways of fighting criminals who use guns completely outside of any legal framework,” the letter reads.

It adds that the record-keeping for 20 years on the part of retailers contributes to a return to the registry, “putting the burden on private retailers.”

The letter also details that it is concerned about the limitations the bill would place on the transport of firearms.

Currently, gun owners of restricted firearms can transfer their weapons for sale or appraisal to gun ranges, shows, and stores across borders.

If passed, the bill’s summary reads that it would “remove” some “automatic authorization to transport prohibited and restricted firearms.”

Instead, the only time an automatic authorization for transportation will be permitted is when it takes place between the place of purchase, the owner’s home and a shooting range. Any other location such as gun shows and repair shops, an approval will need to be obtained.

“These changes …. will negatively affect gun shows and competition,” the association’s letter says.

But, Bagnell points out, this is likely to not dramatically affect Yukoners who hunt and trap.

“It only applies to prohibited and restricted firearms” such as handguns and semi-automatics, he said, “not hunting rifles and shotguns that trappers often use.”

Meanwhile, Cathers says, the Yukon Party has signed the online petition, and a Facebook post for the fish and games association directs visitors to sign it as well.

Launched by an Alberta teen and sponsored by Conservative MP Rachael Harder, it calls on the federal government to redirect its efforts and “instead devote greater resources to policing in Canada.”

Launched in March, it now has more than 66,000 signatures, 281 of which are Yukoners’.

It will be accepting signatures until July 28.

The bill passed second reading and is now before a committee on public safety and national security.