U.S. group warns of selling to Canada

SHOTGUNS

OTTAWA • An American industry group is warning U.S. firearm manufacturers about exporting 12-gauge and 10-gauge shotguns into Canada, citing confusion over the Liberal’s sweeping firearms ban introduced last week.

“We would urge all companies to exercise caution when deciding whether to export any 12-gauge or 10-gauge shotguns to Canada at this time,” the National Shooting Sports Association said in a statement. “It is possible that the Canadian Border Security Agency (CBSA) could impound and/or seize the shipment. If impounded, you will face thousands of dollars in fees per day based on the size of your shipment.”

The statement comes amid some uncertainty on the part of retailers over whether certain shotguns could have been unwittingly prohibited by the Canadian government, which introduced a provision last week to outlaw any firearm with a bore size greater than 20mm. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair introduced the regulatory changes as part of a firearms ban that prohibits eleven categories of firearms, around 1,500 individual versions of those guns.

The 20mm provision was aimed at grenade launchers, but some gun retailers say the loosely-defined regulations could include higher-calibre shotguns, which would technically force thousands of gun owners to hand over their highly ubiquitous bird hunting firearms.

Ottawa has repeatedly offered assurances that the ban would not include shotguns under any circumstances, unlike claims to the contrary made by the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association (CSAAA) and others.

“This is absolutely incorrect and we will be reaching out to them to correct their misunderstanding,” Blair tweeted on Tuesday about the CSAAA claim.

Citing the legal advice of legal firm Edward L Burlew, the CSAAA and others suggested earlier this week that shotguns with removable chokes could be classified as over the 20mm provision. Removable chokes are accessories added to the end of the barrel that widen or narrow a shotgun’s spread.

A spokesperson for Blair told the National Post that bore diameter is explicitly defined as being after the chamber but before the choke, suggesting removable accessories would not register in measurements by authorities.

“Therefore, if the measurement is taken at any other location, it is not a factor that is being considered under amendment 95 of the Regulations,” the spokesperson said.

The firearms association, for their part, is calling on Ottawa to clarify the language in the regulations, rather than voicing broad assurances. “We can’t run a $5.9-billion industry on a tweet,” said Alison de Groot, head of the CSAAA. “Tomorrow they could change everything, and now all shotguns are banned,” she said.

The group is also seeking $1.1 billion in compensations on behalf of firearms retailers and distributors.