Alberta teen’s gun law petition nears 83,000 signatures

An Alberta teenager’s desire to quash proposed changes to federal firearms legislation has become the second-most-signed e-petition to the government in Canadian history.

Ryan Slingerland, 15, launched an e-petition opposing Bill C-71 — an act that aims to amend certain acts and regulations relating to firearms — at the end of March, and as of Saturday it had garnered some 83,000 signatures of support.

The proposed amendments to the Canadian Firearms Act and Criminal Code would require gun retailers to keep records of firearms inventory and sales for at least 20 years, and would require the purchaser of a hunting rifle or shotgun to present a firearms licence, while the seller would have to ensure its validity.

The bill would also expand the scope of background checks on those who want to acquire a gun.

Slingerland’s petition states the proposed act, currently in first reading, “does nothing to tackle firearms violence, but rather adds further red tape on law-abiding firearms owners.”

It adds the legislation brings back the “useless and ineffective long-gun registry” and “doesn’t provide the resources to front line police forces to tackle true sources of firearms violence: gangs and organized criminal enterprises.”

“It’s been slow — it’s getting a couple (signatures) every day, but it’s amazing to see a bunch of Canadians come together and rally behind this petition,” said Slingerland of Coalhurst, a town of about 2,600 about 15 km northwest of Lethbridge.

His hope is for the government to scrap the bill and instead devote greater resources to policing across Canada.

Slingerland said he has experience hunting with his dad and has seen the steps required to purchase a gun and get a licence.

The petition is open for signatures until Thursday.