Military assault rifles were banned in 1977

The mainstream media’s talking heads went a little crazy after last week’s French language leaders’ debate over Erin O’Toole’s statement that he will uphold the ban on military assault rifles.

The media referred to the Conservative Party of Canada’s platform, page 90 wherein it’s stated the CPC will overturn the May 1, 2020 undemocratic Cabinet decision to ban over 1,500 variants of rifles the Liberals called military “style” rifles.

Did O’Toole mislead Canadians? Did he change his mind? He did neither then.

What most Canadians and clearly the media don’t know is that Canada banned true military assault rifles in 1977. This is the ban O’Toole will uphold as these rifles have no place in our society except in the military. O’Toole announced on Sept. 5 that a review will be conducted of the Liberals’ May 1, 1920 ban.

I personally believe that the Trudeau Liberals used the April 18, 2020 tragedy in Nova Scotia purely for political gain and not for any real or meaningful public safety measures when they announced their sweeping ban on May 1, 2020..

In fact, this ban has done nothing to stop the increasing criminal use of illegal guns almost all of which are handguns smuggled into Canada from the U.S.. Something the Trudeau Liberals and specifically Public Safety Minister Bill Blair have done little to address.

Of course, Trudeau as desperate as he is has immediately attempted to create a wedge issue stating that O’Toole will allow assault weapons in Canada. This is patently false.

Furthermore, the Trudeau Liberals have reduced sentences for violent offenders who use guns in the commission of crimes.

The Trudeau Liberals are soft on crime and hard on your liberties and freedoms.

The O’Toole Conservatives, on the other hand, will get tough on crime and do the hard work of reducing gun violence in our cities.

For this reason and many others is why I support the Conservative Party of Canada and our local candidate Helena Konanz. Doug Tarbet

Penticton