Canada’s new firearms bill is another step the Conservative Government is taking to provide safe and simple firearms policies. That’s according to Parry Sound-Muskoka MP Tony Clement who says classroom participation in firearms safety training will be mandatory for first-time licence applicants, and those convicted of domestic violence offences will be banned from owning firearms. The bill was recently introduced at the House of Commons and proposes changes to the Criminal Code to ensure the rights are respected by of firearms owners. The amendments to the Firearms Act and Criminal Code would:
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- Create a six-month grace period at the end of the five-year licence period to stop people from immediately becoming criminalized for paperwork delays around license renewals.
- Streamline the licensing system by eliminating the Possession Only Licence (POL) and converting all existing POLs to Possession and Acquisition Licences (PALs).
- Make classroom participation in firearms safety training mandatory for first-time licence applicants.
- Amend the Criminal Code to strengthen the provisions relating to orders prohibiting the possession of firearms where a person is convicted of an offence involving domestic violence.
- End needless paperwork around Authorizations to Transport by making them a condition of a licence for certain routine and lawful activities.
- Provide for the discretionary authority of Chief Firearms Officers to be subject to limit by regulation.
- Authorize firearms import information sharing when restricted and prohibited firearms are imported into Canada by businesses.
- Allow the Government to have the final say on classification decisions, following the receipt of independent expert advice.