Uncategorized

Gun control and the Toronto Star

“Tories delist sniper rifles, self-loading weapons,” says the front-page Toronto Star headline, followed by text in the body of the story claiming that such weapons will be “declassified” under the Conservatives’ bill to kill the long-gun registry.

It’s unclear exactly what the Star means here by “delist” and “declassify.” Currently, firearms in Canada are classified three ways: as non-restricted; restricted; or prohibited. Roughly speaking, most rifles and shotguns are non-restricted; restricted firearms include many handguns, and rifles or shotguns that are deemed to be too short; and prohibited firearms include automatic rifles, as well as some handguns. The Tories aren’t reshuffling how various firearms will be classified. A gun that was non-restricted previously will remain so. What’s changing is that gun-owners will no longer have to register non-restricted rifles.

The Star lists several examples of firearms its says will soon be “freed from the binding controls that now see them listed with the RCMP-run database.” It’s a little more complicated than that.  

One example given by the Star is the “powerful Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle used in the 1989 Montreal massacre and this summer’s Norway bloodbath.” The gun is actually less powerful than most deer rifles, but never mind. A case can be made that all semi-automatic rifles should be restricted because of the speed with which they can be fired multiple times. But the Mini-14 is not uniquely dangerous, and bolt-action rifles have also been used in massacres. According to the RCMP, there are two versions of the Mini-14. One is restricted because of its short barrel length. The other is non-restricted.

Also listed by the Star is the “menacing” IMI Tavor TAR-21 assault rifle. I’m not sure what’s menacing about it — maybe its appearance, all black and futuristic. I can’t find a reference to it being used in a murder in Canada. Its high price tag likely puts it out of the reach of many would-be killers. In an interview with Maclean’s, the RCMP said one version of the gun is non-restricted; other versions are either restricted or prohibited.

Finally, the Star lists two sniper rifles: the LII5A3; and the Steyr-Mannlicher HS .50. The RCMP says these are indeed classified as non-restricted. One could argue that they should be restricted based on the long range from which they can kill. But such high-end large calibre sniper rifles simply don’t feature in the history of gun violence in North America — even when victims were methodically targeted and shot from a distance, such as in and around Washington, D.C. in 2002. Regular hunting rifles can also kill from several hundred metres away. Singling out specialized sniper rifles as a threat is based more on emotion and gut reaction than evidence.

It’s worth repeating that Bill C-19 doesn’t change how firearms are classified. It would have been just as easy to purchase any of the non-restricted firearms highlighted by the Star when the Liberals were in office as it is today, and will be after the long-gun registry is eliminated. Those wishing to prevent Canadians from owning such firearms are attacking the wrong legislation.

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.