Welcome to the leading source of information on the Canadian government’s plans for mass gun confiscations … and a leading force working to stop them.

“We’re taking the strongest step in Canadian history to move forward on tougher gun legislation.” —Justin Trudeau, Liberal Party of Canada Candidate for Prime Minister, 01 October 2019 (Election Campaign Speech)

What’s on This Page?

Overview of main points

Links to government documents

Info and resources to learn more

Newest update of this page: 22 September 2020

Overview

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a handful of his colleagues in cabinet ordered one of the biggest crackdowns against honest citizens by any democracy in history.

Mass Criminalizations. On 01 May 2020, after working in secret with the federal police, Trudeau instantly made it a crime for federally licensed firearm users to buy, sell, transport, import, export or use many of their rifles and shotguns.

Mass Confiscations. He ordered licensed owners to surrender their suddenly blacklisted gear by 30 April 2022 to avoid jail. He struck in the middle of the day without warning and with retroactive effect.

Abuse of Power. The surprise criminalizations-confiscations are an unprecedented abuse of power and regulatory authority. They violate fundamental principles of ethics, justice, governance and the rule of law. The executive order was made without the knowledge of parliament.

Targeted Crackdown. Trudeau is specifically targeting safe and responsible men and women among the 2.2 million holders of a federal firearm Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL), and 2,400 federally licensed stores and businesses.

End Private Firearm Ownership. In addition to attacking individual rights and the institutions of democracy, the Liberals plan more measures to weaken citizens, cripple the firearm industry and kill modern shooting sports.

Massive and Growing Opposition. Six individuals and groups have filed challenges in Federal Court to block the attack. More than 230,000 concerned citizens signed the No. 1 e-petition in House of Commons history. Provinces are kicking out federally appointed Chief Firearms Officers and hiring their own people to fight the Liberals.

Guaranteed Failure. Although the 01 May 2020 criminalizations are severely disrupting the shooting community, forcing many businesses to close, and costing hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight in court, the plan will fail.

It is widely opposed by provincial premiers, the police and the public.

The government lacks the billions of dollars to pay for it.

Police, many of whom own personal firearms, don’t want to seize guns from each other or from their families, friends and neighbours.

The targeted owners don’t intend to participate.

TheGunBlog.ca stands for civil liberty and effective policy.

We thank everyone who supports our work.

Why Trudeau’s May 1st Crackdown on Honest Citizens Will Fail



– Nobody wants it (Opposed by provinces, police + public)

– No money to pay for it

– Plan is driving surge in anti-Trudeau, anti-Liberal, anti-government sentiment across Canada

– Targeted individuals won't participate — TheGunBlog (@TheGunBlog) July 2, 2020

Who is targeted?

RCMP Says Over 100,000 Gun Owners May Be Target of Confiscation

How did we get here?

How Quiet Gun Owners Become Former Gun Owners

You may also like: Canada Gun Facts & Stats

If you see a mistake or have an idea, please contact us.

Snapshot

Liberal Plans to Restrict, Prohibit, Confiscate

Active

National mass criminalizations-prohibitions-confiscation, partial (aimed at rifle and shotgun owners) (01 May 2020)

Pending

Force stores to register all gun buyers (Bill C-71, 2019)

Create “connections registry” of gun owners (Bill C-71, 2019)

Planned

This poster has more than 300,000 views, including 250,000 views on Facebook.

Criminalization Order — 01 May 2020

Highlights

Cabinet Order in Council of 01 May 2020, with retroactive effect.

Criminalizes targeted rifle and shotgun owners who: Buy, sell, import, export, transport or use any of their newly prohibited rifles or shotguns. Don’t keep their newly banned gear locked in a safe at home. Don’t surrender their newly banned gear by 30 April 2022.

Arbitrarily classifies an unknown number of “Non-restricted” rifles and shotguns plus 105,000 “Restricted” models as “Prohibited.”

Original goal was to seize and destroy 250,000 rifles.

Although absent from the new regulations, the Liberals say their attack will eventually offer confiscation victims two exits: Payoff (Fast Confiscation With Victim Compensation) : Offer to pay confiscation victims who surrender their guns to police by 30 April 2022. Liberals misleadingly call this “ buyback .” Lockup (Permanent Lockup Without Victim Compensation ): Force confiscation victims to keep guns locked at home as “safe queens” until forced surrender at death. The Liberals misleadingly call this “ grandfathering .”



01 May 2020: Trudeau Orders Immediate Rifle Bans, Promises ‘Grandfathering’

06 May 2020: RCMP Deletes ‘Grandfathering’ Option From Web Page on Rifle Bans

The Ban List

About 1,500 models and designs of rifles and shotguns, including:

AR-10

AR-15, M4, M16

Black Creek Labs BCL102

Beretta CX4 Storm

CSA Vz. 58

CZ Scorpion EVO 3

CZ 858

Derya Arms MK-12

Heckler & Koch MR223

Heckler & Koch MR308

Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22

Robinson Armament XCR

Ruger Mini-14

SIG Sauer MCX

SIG Sauer MPX

Springfield Armory M14, M1A

Swiss Arms SG-550, SG-551

All firearms “capable of” more than 10,000 Joules of muzzle energy [i.e., .50 BMG, .460 Weatherby Magnum, .375 CheyTac rifles, and potentially any 10-gauge or 12-gauge shotgun. See this YouTube video.]

All firearms “with a bore diameter of 20 mm or greater” [Experts say this includes most 12-gauge and 10-gauge shotguns]

Source: Canada Gazette, SOR/2020-96, 01 May 2020

Specific Models Not Listed

Benelli R1

FN-FNAR

IWI Tavor, X95, Tavor 7

Keltec

Norinco Type 97

Poly Technologies Type 81

SKS

WK180-C

WS-MCR

New Models May Be Added

There is also a risk that affected firearms owners may elect to replace their firearms with models unaffected by the ban, causing a market displacement. This risk may be mitigated by adding additional makes and models to the list of prohibited firearms in the future. Source: Ministry of Public Safety, Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement, 01 May 2020

RCMP Prohibits More Rifles, Shotguns Via FRT: Derya MK-12 Shotgun

The RCMP adds new models to its list of “Prohibited” firearms every few days. They added the popular Derya MK-12 12-gauge shotgun in mid-June 2020.

RCMP Publishes Expanded List of Guns Ordered for Confiscation (2020 June 16)

RCMP Comments on Prohibiting Derya MK-12 Shotgun as AR-15 Variant (2020 July 13)

Canada's New Gun Ban



OH, CANADA! An Interview with Nicholas Johnson of https://t.co/GQ6JM19X98 Regarding Canada's New Gun Ban



Via @FirearmsNewsMag, part of the world's No. 1 publisher of gun magazines.



Read and Share:https://t.co/qZ7Xscedoo — TheGunBlog (@TheGunBlog) May 8, 2020

Key Steps for Confiscation

Source: TheGunBlog.ca

Order rifle prohibitions via Order In Council (Done 01 May 2020): Make it a crime to buy, sell, transfer, transport, import, export, … about 250,000 rifles currently owned by individuals and stores. Turns “Non-restricted” and “Restricted” guns into “Prohibited” safe queens. Request parliamentary budget approval to pay confiscation victims. Pass new legislation to pay confiscation victims. (May be included in Step 2.) Prepare, administer, execute, enforce (seize and destroy the rifles). Charge, prosecute or jail owners who don’t participate.

Key Details of Confiscation

How Many. Unknown, but more than 125,000. CBC News quoted Minister Bill Blair on 20 Sept. 2019 as saying licensed owners have about 250,000 of the rifles he wants to confiscate.

Unknown, but more than 125,000. CBC News quoted Minister Bill Blair on 20 Sept. 2019 as saying licensed owners have about 250,000 of the rifles he wants to confiscate. Who Owns Them. The rifles will be confiscated from people such as hunters, farmers, ranchers, plinkers, sport shooters, firearm collectors and businesses.

The rifles will be confiscated from people such as hunters, farmers, ranchers, plinkers, sport shooters, firearm collectors and businesses. Budget. CBC News quoted Blair as saying Sept. 20 the confiscation program will cost $400 million to $600 million. A Liberal staffer was quoted as telling iPolitics the government will offer to pay owners who surrender their rifles $250 million. Billions . This leaves out the expenses to prepare, plan, organize, administer and enforce the mass confiscations-incarcerations, likely to cost billions of dollars.

CBC News quoted Blair as saying Sept. 20 the confiscation program will cost $400 million to $600 million. A Liberal staffer was quoted as telling iPolitics the government will offer to pay owners who surrender their rifles $250 million.

Government Documents

Order in Council

Canada Gazette

Ministry of Public Safety

RCMP

Prime Minister

Ministry of Justice

Technical Briefings

Technical Briefing (English)

Séance D’Information Technique (French)

Violations of Ethics, Justice, Governance

In addition to being an unjustified attack against honest individuals and families, the confiscation order of 01 May 2020 violates fundamental principles of ethics, justice, the rule of law, and parliamentary democracy:

Arbitrary . The confiscation order turns honest, lawful individuals into potential criminals out of the blue.

. The confiscation order turns honest, lawful individuals into potential criminals out of the blue. Vague . The confiscation order has left hundreds of thousands of people unsure if they are committing a criminal offence, and they have no way of finding out.

. The confiscation order has left hundreds of thousands of people unsure if they are committing a criminal offence, and they have no way of finding out. Sweeping . The confiscation order cracks down on millions of individuals without legitimate reason.

. The confiscation order cracks down on millions of individuals without legitimate reason. Immoral . The confiscation order punishes individuals and businesses who have done nothing immoral or harmful. It forces them to take immediate action to avoid criminal charges or jail.

. The confiscation order punishes individuals and businesses who have done nothing immoral or harmful. It forces them to take immediate action to avoid criminal charges or jail. Unjust . The confiscation order punishes individuals and businesses who were in full compliance with the law.

. The confiscation order punishes individuals and businesses who were in full compliance with the law. Sudden . The confiscation order came in the middle of the day without warning.

. The confiscation order came in the middle of the day without warning. Retroactive . The confiscation order is deemed to have taken effect before it was even published.

. The confiscation order is deemed to have taken effect before it was even published. Contempt of Parliament . Bypasses parliamentary scrutiny and oversight put forth in the Constitution.

. Bypasses parliamentary scrutiny and oversight put forth in the Constitution. Violates Basic Policy Principles Legal certainty Regulatory clarity, stability and predictability Procedural transparency Non-retroactivity



Canada: Rule of Law Died on May 1



“… the rule of law vouchsafes to the citizens and residents of the country a stable, predictable and ordered society in which to conduct their affairs. It provides a shield for individuals from arbitrary state action.”https://t.co/OuSizH2tc5 — TheGunBlog (@TheGunBlog) July 31, 2020

Stop the Confiscation Order

No Canadian should have to put up with threats and abuse from the government.



We are proud to stand with millions of patriots against the Liberal cabinet’s 01 May 2020 Order in Council, as we fight to restore ethics, justice and the rule of law.#NoSurrender #RestoreJustice pic.twitter.com/780pIKLhuA — TheGunBlog (@TheGunBlog) July 7, 2020

Opting Out

TheGunBlog.ca isn’t aware of anyone who intends to participate in the forced surrender. Many people have said they would rather be arrested than surrender their firearms. Some people have said they will neither surrender their gear nor allow themselves to be arrested.

They believe the confiscation order will be practically impossible to enforce given the costs, broad opposition among police to enforce it, and massive opposition by targeted gun owners.

Associations Call for Bill Blair’s Removal

May 2020 Statements

More

Gun Bans Target Olympic Athletes: Shooting Federation of Canada SFC wrote to Bill Blair on May 6



Police Begin Online Protest

Dishonesty & Disinformation

Justin Trudeau

To advertise confiscation, the Liberals went on national television to accuse federally licensed firearm owners of being murderers and terrorists:

Today, we are closing the market for military-grade assault weapons in Canada. These weapons were designed for one purpose, and one purpose only: to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time. … So, effective immediately, it is no longer permitted to buy, sell, transport, import, or use military-grade assault weapons in this country. Source: Justin Trudeau, Media Briefing via CPAC TV on YouTube, 01 May 2020

Bill Blair

Minister Bill Blair’s office told The Canadian Press in May 2019:

Assault-style rifles are military weapons designed to hunt people, and not animals, in the most efficient manner possible that maximizes the body count at minimum effort. These weapons are for use in the battlefield, but too often they have been brought into our communities and used to target and kill law enforcement, women, members of the LGBTQ2S community, religious observers and children doing nothing more than attending class. There is no option that will be discounted and all possibilities will be considered. Source: Office of Minister Bill Blair, Quoted by The Canadian Press, 30 May 2019.

Handgun Confiscation

Against Handgun Owners: Municipal Confiscation

Allow municipalities to expel handgun owners and stores, and/or confiscate their handguns, through new prohibitions and restrictions. (“Handgun ban”)

More than 260,000 men and women are registered with the RCMP as owning at least one handgun.

Check out our page on Canada Gun Facts & Stats, the best and most-comprehensive information of its kind.

More Info

Timeline

Blair’s Mandate Letter

(Excerpt)

I will expect you to work with your colleagues and through established legislative, regulatory and Cabinet processes to deliver on your top priorities. In particular, you will: With support from the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, implement our firearms policy commitments, including to: Amend Canada’s firearms laws to ban all military-style assault rifles, with an associated buyback program and two-year amnesty; Work with provinces and territories to give municipalities the ability to further restrict or ban handguns; Update firearms licence requirements for ammunition imports, strengthen safe-storage laws, develop a mechanism for suspending licences for those who pose a danger to themselves or others, continue to build a national system that allows for the flagging of bulk purchases of firearms, impose stronger penalties for gun smuggling, provide the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) with additional resources to detect and stop gun smuggling, and work to limit by regulation the glorification of violence in firearms marketing and sales; and Continue to protect the rights of hunters and farmers. There will not be a return of the long-gun registry.

Source: Trudeau Mandate Letter to Blair, Published 13 Dec. 2019

Key Targets

Trudeau’s confiscations target hundreds of thousands of individuals and families among the 2.2 million men and women with a federal firearm Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) authorized by the federal police (RCMP).

Everyone is banned already from buying, selling or having any gun unless they have a licence authorized by the federal police.

None of the new bans target violent offenders or gangs who obtain or use firearms illegally.

Key Challenges

No Legitimacy, No Enforcement, No Compliance

Any move against lawful Canadian families will face challenges and likely fail.

Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario are among provinces that oppose bans and support hunters and sport shooters.

Police leaders across the country oppose gun bans.

Legal specialists question the constitutionality of handing federal powers to municipalities.

Canada’s gun laws are complex, confusing and controversial. New restrictions have historically resulted in low compliance (e.g. the PAL system), often because the restrictions didn’t serve any purpose or people didn’t know about them or how to comply, or didn’t want to.

The government hasn’t said how it will finance the billions of dollars in administrative, legal, police, court and prison costs to set up, process and enforce any bans.

What level of voluntary compliance would you expect if Justin Trudeau wins Election 2019 and orders mass gun confiscation against hundreds of thousands of federally licensed hunters, farmers, ranchers, plinkers, competitors, firearm collectors, etc.?#TheGunBlogPoll#elxn43 — TheGunBlog (@TheGunBlog) October 18, 2019

Key Articles

More Articles

Key Resources

Against All PAL/RPAL Holders

New restrictions and prohibitions on home gun possession. (Trudeau instructed Blair to “strengthen safe-storage laws.”)

Could affect every individual or family with guns among the 2.2 million licence holders.

Sources of Data and Information



Official government documents

Trudeau’s mandate letter to Minister of Public Safety Bill Blair

Liberal campaign plan

Statements by Trudeau and Blair covered by the media

Government statements to TheGunBlog.ca

Independent research and estimates by TheGunBlog.ca

Liberal Election 2019 Platform

Measures against PAL holders

Full platform

Liberal Party Backgrounder (Election 2019)