Alberta’s Justice Minister and Attorney General Tyler Shandro will announce new measures to oppose the federal government’s gun ban and assault-style weapon confiscation legislation.
This comes after the province passed Bill 1, the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act, on December 8. The bill would allow Smith and her cabinet to take a more confrontational approach with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government on a range of issues deemed unconstitutional. or an overreach in provincial areas of responsibility.
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Alberta passes sovereignty law, but first strips cabinet of powers
Since May 2020, Ottawa has banned more than 1,500 different models of assault-style firearms from being used or sold in Canada.
It has committed to establishing a buyback program to remove those firearms from communities.
The Alberta government has since opposed the gun ban, accusing the federal government of “fear mongering” by labeling guns as “assault-style.” Shandro earlier said the move was made to scare Canadians unfamiliar with firearms.
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“This is politically motivated confiscation, pure and simple,” he said in September.
“And so I responded to (Public Safety) Minister (Marco) Mendicino by telling him ‘no.’ Alberta will not assist the federal government in this or any federal effort to strip our residents of legally acquired personal property.”
Shandro also said the province would oppose any attempts by RCMP officers to confiscate firearms by invoking Section 23 of the provincial-federal agreement governing policing. The minister said the buyback “is in violation of the (provincial police service agreement)” and told Mendicino the province would not offer its resources for the program.
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Alberta also plans to seek intervening status in six ongoing judicial review applications challenging the constitutionality of the legislation.
Critics said the move politicizes the police and is a dangerous proposition because Mounties should not be drawn into politics.
Opposition Leader Rachel Notley told a news conference in September that reducing the prevalence of military-style assault weapons was “one of the critical ways” to improve public safety across the country.
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“What we also know is that the number of shootings in Calgary is on track to be the highest ever. We know that shootings in Lethbridge are happening at a much more consistent rate,” she said.
The RCMP declined to comment on Shandro’s claim.
– With files from The Canadian Press’ Dean Bennett and Global News’ Adam Toy.
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
