The Liberal government has announced that it will extend the amnesty order for owners of prohibited firearms until October 30, 2025.
The order, which was issued on May 1, 2020, banned the possession, sale and use of nearly 1,500 types of firearms that the government deemed as “assault-style” weapons.
Ottawa also promised a buyback program to compensate the affected owners, but the details and implementation of the program have been delayed.
The extension of the amnesty order means that owners of the banned firearms will not face criminal charges for possessing them, as long as they keep them securely stored and do not use them.
Additionally, they will not be able to sell or transfer them to anyone else, except to a licensed dealer or a museum.
The government has said that the extension is necessary to ensure public safety and to give more time for the development of the buyback program.
Ottawa’s extension comes after a legal challenge by the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights (CCFR), a gun advocacy group that argues that the order is unconstitutional and infringes on the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
The CCFR has also launched a public campaign to raise awareness and opposition to the order, and to pressure the government to reverse it.
According to the gun-rights group, the order is based on political motives and not on evidence, and that it targets firearms that are rarely used in crimes.
In a CCFR Radio segment, the group’s CEO and executive director Rod Giltaca said that the move was an attempt to trip up Canadians.
“Obviously, it’s not us that’s forcing the government to renew the amnesty, they would do it anyway but as I said in the last episode the reason we’re doing this is they should have renewed that three months ago,” said Giltaca.
The CCFR is awaiting a decision from Justice Kane of the Federal Court, who heard their case in June.
The decision is expected by the end of October, and could have significant implications for the future of the order and the buyback program. The CCFR has said that it will continue to fight for the rights of gun owners and to challenge the order in court and in public opinion.
