Gun dealers across Canada are frustrated and angry about potential changes to Bill C-21 that would ban more legally owned firearms and rifles.
The amendment could ban millions of semi-automatic rifles and shotguns used for hunting across the country.
Daryl Schemenauer, owner of TnT Gunworks in Regina, said if this ban goes into effect, it will have a domino effect on the gun business.
“This is the worst kick we’ve had in the business in 30 years. It will probably put us out of business and a lot of other people in the trade,” he said.
Schemenauer added that Bill C-21 has had an effect on businesses since it was introduced in October.
But that being said, TnT Gunworks is seeing a spike in sales of firearms that are meant to be banned under Bill C-21.
“So many people have these firearms that the phone is off the hook. Everyone is wondering what to do with them (and) what will happen,” he said.
Schemenauer said he has heard nothing about compensation for those weapons and believes no compensation was ever planned.
“(Prime Minister Justin Trudeau) is turning honest people into criminals. He makes everybody with these firearms banned, so that means you become a criminal,” he said.
Schemenauer also said that the firearms that are banned are not used in a criminal aspect and those types of firearms should not be on the banned list.
He called it a “killer” for sporting goods, entertainment and firearms businesses across Canada.
According to Schemenauer, he has heard from customers who are not sure what to do with their firearms.
He feels that people will start to take a stand against Bill C-21.
“(Trudeau) almost went too far here. It just takes away weapons that criminals have no intention of ever using,” he said.
Schemenauer believes gun bans do nothing to stop crime in the country.
“A criminal will still use their firearms, the contraband weapons that they use. It’s none of these firearms that he just banned here,” he said. “These are all sporting firearms. (Prohibition) doesn’t stop crime.
Schemenauer thinks the Liberal government doesn’t know what it’s dealing with.
“They’re still dealing with the wrong type of people and the wrong type of firearms, so people are just upset,” Schemenauer said.
The Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation also expressed some disappointment and even confusion about the proposed amendment.
The federation’s Gill White said as far as he could tell, it was the biggest attack on legal firearms owners in Canada.
“I think it’s unmanageable. I think it will be a failed attempt to seize more firearms from legal gun owners,” he said.
White also believes the proposed amendment has nothing to do with public safety. He said it was about taking guns away from Canadians.
“I think this particular government will continue until they can disarm all legal firearm owners in Canada,” he said.
White added that if that’s the case, the only ones left with firearms will be the police and criminals.
He also said that firearms are not the problem and that there are many ways to address public safety.
“They have to deal with gangs, poverty (and) border security. They come across some firearms, but there are some they don’t get,” White said.
“We believe this will affect the hunting community, which is something the Liberals said they would never do.” They would never come after the hunters.
The Saskatchewan government said it supports legal firearms owners and hunters as the proposed amendment would criminalize hunters, farmers and target shooters.
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