The editor:
I became a criminal on May 1; not through my own actions but due to a decision made by Justin Trudeau.
With the stroke of a pen, Trudeau made me and 2.1 million other Canadians criminals. Trudeau threw away democracy by bypassing parliamentary procedures. He made an Order In Council that avoids any debate or parliamentary oversight. In my opinion, he did this because there would have been opposition if he had followed the regular democratic process.
I view this as extorting law-abiding Canadians by taking away their personal legally acquired property with threats of incarceration.
In Canada we already have very restrictive gun control compared to the United States. Firstly, a firearms safety course must be passed. Then you have to provide the RCMP character references as well as conjugal partners for the past five years. After your background and reference checks are approved, then you get your possession acquisition licence (PAL). The entire length of time you obtain your PAL a daily, yes daily, background check is completed with Canadian Police Information Centre.
A PAL lasts for five years before you have to provide character references and conjugal partners again.
I often hear that we don’t need these types of guns. Food, water and shelter are the basic things that are needed for survival. It’s safe to say we are well beyond having what we need. I don’t need my guns, I love having my guns.
I enjoy competitive shooting, I enjoy hunting, I enjoy taking a newbie to the gun range for the first time, or a friend from overseas. Everyone has things they enjoy and love doing and enjoying going to the range with my firearms has not caused a single problem.
On April 30, I was privileged enough to enjoy my passion and on May 1 I lost a huge chunk of that privilege. Why? Because a new law came into place prohibiting me from owning my sporting rifles.
Laws do not stop criminals from illegally obtaining guns. New laws would not have stopped the recent mass murder. Law abiding citizens should not be punished for the acts of criminals.
For those of you who are indifferent to guns or who agree with the new controls being forced upon Canadians, try to imagine if Trudeau just announced the banning of sports cars (race-style) because a stolen sports car was used to commit a crime. Imagine sitting at home and waiting to see if your car will show up on the newly banned sports car list.
The car you just spend money on last week, last month, last year. The car you worked on with your dad to restore. The car that you saved for and were so proud to get when you finally turned 16. With the stroke of a pen, without any debate in parliament, now you must give up your sports car.
And sure they’ll give you market value for it, but you know that is nowhere near the amount you spent on it. Would you feel angry, disappointed, betrayed or unfairly treated because yours isn’t really a sport car? That is what legal gun owners across Canada are feeling today. That is how I feel today.
I was once so proud to be Canadian. Today I feel defeated and betrayed by what I once considered a democracy.
Phil Steernberg
Saskatoon
