The federal Liberals will finally start buying back guns with a pilot program in Cape Breton, N.S. — about as far from Alberta as they can get without leaving Canada. Read More
Danielle Smith and Scott Moe know exactly what they’re doing and it boils down to this: they will not allow Ottawa to take guns from law-abiding citizens in their provinces
Danielle Smith and Scott Moe know exactly what they’re doing and it boils down to this: they will not allow Ottawa to take guns from law-abiding citizens in their provinces
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The federal Liberals will finally start buying back guns with a pilot program in Cape Breton, N.S. — about as far from Alberta as they can get without leaving Canada.
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They might fear a range war when this fiasco finally moves west.
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The feds are hapless, confused and disorganized. But Premier Danielle Smith and her Saskatchewan counterpart, Scott Moe, are locked and loaded (the only gun metaphor here, I promise).
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The premiers know exactly what they’re doing and it boils down to this: they will not allow Ottawa to take guns from law-abiding citizens in their provinces.
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Noon News Roundup
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The premiers have been preparing for this battle for years, ever since ex-prime minister Justin Trudeau started talking about restricting and seizing weapons, with a vast list of prohibitions.
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In August 2021, Alberta appointed a chief firearms officer with a mandate to assume some federal powers.
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In late 2023, the UCP passed Bill 8, a new Firearms Act. One of 60 declarations is that no federal agent may seize a weapon in Alberta. Only the province may appoint a “seizure agent” to confiscate guns.
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All this may be constitutionally dubious, but Smith and Moe don’t care. They have raw power of their own.
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Smith pledges that no Alberta authority will be allowed to help Ottawa enforce its plans.
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“We have already taken action,” Smith told a recent Alberta Next session.
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“We told the municipalities, no, you can’t have a handgun ban. That is not municipal jurisdiction.
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“We told the RCMP, no, you cannot participate in the confiscation scheme (and) we have told the sheriffs that.
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“We have told municipal forces, if you want to participate in the confiscation scheme, you have to come and get a permit from the Justice minister.
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“And I have it on good authority, he will not say yes.”
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Smith now escalates further by promising to set up a provincial firearms licensing system.
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Gun licences are federal. In 2024 there were about 2.5 million permit-holders. That hardly seems restrictive, but Smith sees it as another intrusive federal power.
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“We’re working right now on what a legislative framework for an Alberta firearms licence would look like, and we’re going to find out,” she said.
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