Pembroke, Ontario – Cheryl Gallant, MP Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, sees opportunity in the Federal Government’s proposed new firearms legislation to streamline the provincial Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) function in the wake of reported comments from CFOs in Quebec and P.E.I.
“Recent comments attributed to these two provincial public servants demonstrate the need for uniform enforcement of Federal firearms law, rather than multiple interpretations of the Firearms Act,” stated Cheryl Gallant, MP. “Law-abiding Canadians who own fire-arms are not served by CFOs trying to interpret proposed Federal legislation, especially to big city media that is hostile to rural Canadians who happen to enjoy heritage sporting activities like hunting. Their job has always been enforcement.”
“The time has come to consolidate the positions of the federally-funded provincial CFOs, and replace them with a single, national civilian led Chief Firearms Office, whose purpose is strictly administrative and friendly oriented service, a move that would also save taxpayers’ dollars and support front-line policing,” added MP Gallant.
MP Gallant has two motions before the House of Commons pertaining to firearms. The first motion, M-439, calls on the Federal Government to stop funding the provincial CFOs, and instead re-direct their overlapped funding to front line policing and crime prevention. This measure would also ensure the interpretation of Federal law does not vary from province to province, as it does now.
The second motion, M-452, would replace the RCMP as the body responsible for reclassifying firearms, and put the power in the hands of a civilian led Firearms Technical Experts Committee. This motion would place Canadians who are experts in Firearms in charge of assessing the capabilities of new and existing firearms on the Canadian market, and using their expertise to properly classify the firearms.
MP Gallant says she would welcome the incorporation of M-439 and M-452 into the upcoming legislation.
For more information on MP Gallant’s long track record on supporting responsible firearms reforms in Canada please, visit www.cherylgallant.com.