Trudeau government's gun ban will be challenged in federal court

The Liberal government’s recent gun ban is being challenged by a firearm-rights group which is taking the issue to federal court to challenge its constitutionality, according to Global News.

The Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights believes the rifles are suitable for hunting as well as sporting purposes as they have been used by shooters in this way for many years.

A large number of guns were outlawed by the Liberal government earlier this month with the argument that they are meant for the battlefield and not for hunting or sport shooting.

The ban is on 1,500 different models of what are being called assault-style weapons which means they can’t be legally used, imported or sold.

The coalition is asking that the court disallow the regulations as unlawful and outside of the federal cabinet’s powers.

In the coalition’s application to the court, it said there is “no persuasive evidence” that reclassifying the guns will decrease mass shootings or increase public safety.

The application says that the ban is more likely to cause more illegal importing—meaning more unregistered firearms that are untraceable.

“Every firearm used for hunting and sporting may be abused, as is the case with endless other items possessed by Canadians such as knives and motor vehicles.”

“The detrimental impacts to the liberty rights of legal gun owners are grossly disproportionate to any negligible gains to the public.”

The application goes on to say that legally owned firearms are a form of identity, expression and livelihood for sport shooters and for hunters they are a source of sustenance.

The coalition argues that hundreds of businesses are being threatened by the ban along with the security of law-abiding Canadians.

“It was enacted without notice and without legislative transparency. It was passed in this extraordinary way, despite the lack of any real emergency that would warrant such immediate executive action.”

The coalition wants an injunction to be granted by the court—staying the ban until the issue can be properly heard in court.

The application comes as new gun control measures are being promised by the government such as stricter storage provisions and stronger penalties.

The legislation will provide details on the plan to compensate current owners of the outlawed guns.

Gun-control proponents are pressuring the government to make sure the buyback program is mandatory so the prohibited firearms don’t end up the wrong hands.