Saskatchewan Firearms Act passes

The provincial government passed the Saskatchewan Firearms Act on Thursday, a move aimed at improving public safety and protecting the rights of lawful gun owners.

According to the Saskatchewan Firearms Office, the act sets up a provincial firearms regulatory system to “promote the safe and responsible use of firearms.”

The act also takes steps to minimize the impact of federal gun bans on lawful gun owners by establishing licensing requirements for “seizure agents involved in firearms expropriation.”

The ministry said the legislation will also require and oversee fair compensation if any guns are seized, and require forensic and ballistic testing of any seized guns.

In an interview with John Gormley on Thursday, Premier Scott Moe said the legislation is primarily a response to gun laws from Ottawa.

“It’s a responsive act, and it’s an act that will work quite well in protecting those law-abiding firearm owners in our province,” Moe said.

“We feel the federal government is approaching this in the wrong way. They’re going after law-abiding firearm owners.”

Moe said the act will protect hunters, target shooters and those who use firearms legally.

Christine Tell, Saskatchewan’s minister of corrections, policing and pubic safety, echoed the premier’s comments, saying the act is going to be beneficial to law-abiding gun owners and promote Saskatchewan’s “proud tradition” of responsible gun ownership and use.

“It is important for Saskatchewan to have its own provincial firearms legislation to ensure the concerns of responsible firearms owners are taken into account,” Tell said in a statement.

The act will primarily be administered by the provincial firearms office, which the government said will also take on an expanded role when it comes to prosecuting non-violent offences involving guns.

Robert Freberg, Saskatchewan’s chief firearms officer, said the new legislation will be a boon to the office and to gun owners in the province.

“The Saskatchewan Firearms Act is critical to our work to improve public safety, promote responsible firearms ownership and assist the police in addressing crimes committed with illegal firearms,” Freberg said in a statement.

“This legislation, and the significant funding we have received in this year’s provincial budget, will be put to good use as we continue to develop the Saskatchewan Firearms Office.”