Firearm owners in Alberta are struggling to renew their possession and acquisition licenses (PAL) due to federal delays lasting up to nine months.
According to CTV News, some gun owners are stuck not knowing whether they can use their firearms while the government struggles to process the renewals.
“Am I illegally possessing my firearms because I don’t have a PAL that’s current? Even though it’s in the application program?” 75-year-old hunter Don Holloway told the outlet.
“I mean, does that make me a criminal? Hunting season has started and without a PAL, you could be in hot water.”
Most PAL renewals are reviewed by the RCMP firearms centre in Miramichi, N.B.. According to Alberta’s chief firearms officer Teri Bryant, it’s taking up to nine months to process a renewal with 70,000 Albertans being impacted.
Bryant warns that those using a firearm without a valid license could face legal troubles.
“Well, you shouldn’t do it. According to the law, you do have a six-month grace period. But during that period, you’re not supposed to be doing anything with your guns,” said Bryant.
“This does put Alberta firearms owners in a very difficult spot, particularly if they’re hunters, and there’s a limited window of time when they can go out hunting.”
Alberta has taken proactive measures to speed up renewals including a $7 million plan for more RCMP staff with the goal of reducing waits down to three months for new applicants.
The delays come at a time when the federal government prepares the logistics of its gun buyback program after banning thousands of firearms from being legally owned.
A recent report by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) found that the Liberal government has already spent $7 million on the program without purchasing a single-firearm from Canadians.
“This is more evidence that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s gun ban and buyback is going to be another taxpayer boondoggle,” said CTF Federal Director Franco Terrazzano.
“The feds are spending millions of dollars before reimbursing a single gun owner, so it’s a good bet that this bill will keep ballooning.”
