Liberals drop gun law amendment

Federal government withdraws bill’s assault-style firearm definition, promises more consultation Some gun advocates said the measure unfairly targeted many commonly used rifles and shotguns

The federal Liberals have withdrawn an amendment to their gun bill aimed at enshrining a definition of banned assault-style firearms, citing “legitimate concerns” about the need for more consultation on the measure.

Opposition MPs and some firearm advocates applauded the move, while a prominent gun-control group called it a victory for misinformation about the now-pulled amendment.

Liberal MP Taleeb Noormohamed asked for and received unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment to Bill C-21 at the House of Commons public safety committee Friday.

Among other technical specifications concerning bore diameter and muzzle energy, the proposed definition included a centrefire semi-automatic rifle or shotgun designed with a detachable magazine that can hold over five cartridges.

The measure, introduced late last year during clause-by-clause review of the bill, would have built on a May 2020 regulatory ban of over 1,500 models and variants of what the government considers assaultstyle firearms, such as the AR-15 and the Ruger Mini-14.

There was debate over exactly what was included in the definition and what was not, because it applied only to some variations of certain models that met the criteria — guns the government considers inappropriate for civilian use.

Still, Conservative MPs and some gun advocates said the measure unfairly targeted many commonly used rifles and shotguns.

The Liberals were also under pressure from many of their own members to change or withdraw the definition of guns being banned.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said in a written statement posted to Twitter that the government had committed to coming up with “a clear, standard definition of what constitutes an assault-style firearm.”

It tried to do that with the amendment, but Mendicino acknowledged “there have been legitimate concerns raised about the need for more consultation and debate on this vital part of the bill.”

MPs from all three main opposition parties expressed relief that the amendment was withdrawn, though the Liberals were still under heavy criticism for trying to push it through in the first place. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre declared his party’s efforts to be the sole reason the Liberals pulled the amendment.