Firearms groups say they weren’t consulted on gun bill

Several major firearms organizations aren’t happy with the federal government’s assertion that they were consulted during the development of a new gun control bill, which is likely to become law this fall.

While the federal Liberals insist a “broad range of groups and individuals” were consulted during the development of Bill C-71, at least four groups were surprised when their names appeared on a 53name list submitted to parliament.

“Absolutely, we were not consulted while the bill was in development,” said Canadian Shooting Sports Association executive director Tony Bernardo, adding he only received a briefing the day the bill was announced.

Tracey Wilson, vice-president of the Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights, added “I’m about as surprised as everyone else was to see our name on there. No consultation happened; it never happened.”

Representatives of two other prominent groups — the National Firearms Association (NFA) and the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association (CSAAA) — also reported not being asked for formal feedback on the bill.

“We were not provided the opportunity to consult with policy staff or (Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale) during the drafting of the bill,” said CSAAA managing director Alison de Groot.

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale’s office, in a lengthy statement, suggested the firearms groups — some of which testified when the bill was before committee last month — adopted a narrow view of consultation.

In the statement, Goodale spokesman Scott Bardsley provided a list of various meetings between the groups and federal authorities, including a summit on gun and gang violence held this spring in Ottawa.

“While some of these conversations were framed as about firearms issues or policies instead of legislation, they all provided input that helped inform Bill C-71,” Bardsley said in the statement.

Bernardo and Wilson also testified before a parliamentary committee when it was considering the bill in May, after it was sent from the House of Commons to committee for review and amendments.

Conservative MP Glen Motz, who sits on Parliament’s standing committee on public safety and national security, however, said the number of groups involved suggests the government made a “pretty egregious error.”

“They are leaving the public with the impression that they are this transparent, all-inclusive consultative government that ask everybody everything — and the reality is they have not,” Motz said.

NFA president Sheldon Clare said the Liberals are likely applying a broad definition of consultation regarding its interaction with some groups — a view he disagrees with — but noted his organization was “not consulted at all.”

“They see it as in their interest to present a facade that they have been inclusive and that they have been willing to listen when, in fact, they are not inclusive and not willing to listen,” Clare said.

Concern about a lack of consultation on C-71 was first reported by Thegunblog.ca.

Bill C-71 is expected to fulfil several promises the federal Liberals made during the 2015 election campaign.

While the Liberals have championed the legislation as a series of “common sense” measures designed to improve public safety, the federal Conservatives and others have questioned the efficacy of almost all of its provisions.

Critics say the bill will further inconvenience law-abiding gun owners while doing nothing to achieve its stated aims. Some have described it as a “backdoor gun registry” — a charge Goodale robustly denies.