Saskatchewan’s chief firearms officer opposed to handgun freeze included in C-21

The aim of the C-21 is to reduce gun violence on Canadian streets, and the federal bill would put a freeze on the sale of handguns.

Robert Freberg, Saskatchewan’s chief firearms officer, told CKOM/CJME’s John Gormley that while some measures included in the bill make sense, freezing handgun sales does not.

“There is things in C-21 that we support that are targeting organized crime, illegal use of firearms and so forth,” he explained.

“We aren’t saying C-21 is a bad bill, but what we’re saying is we don’t support the handgun freeze which negatively impacts law-abiding handgun owners across Canada and here in Saskatchewan.”

Freberg said there are currently over 50,000 RPAL (Restricted Possession Acquisition License) licences in the province, and a freeze on handguns could devalue their property.

“We’re very concerned for that, and don’t understand why that’s happened,” he said.

Last year, Freberg said, handgun sales increased by 50,000 nationwide. While he said he understands that Marco Mendicino, Canada’s minister of public safety, could be concerned by that, he said Saskatchewan has very strict rules when it comes to who can and can’t purchase a handgun.

“They’re licensed, trained, vetted. If they have any issues with the police they immediately come into our office and are investigated,” he said.

“In the past 10 months we’ve been in operation, we’ve initiated almost twice as many revocations and refusals than the previously federally-run program … I don’t know if the minister is aware of that, but I’m pretty proud of that fact.”

Freberg said Canada should focus on people who are using firearms improperly, while supporting law-abiding gun owners.

The idea of freezing handgun has log-jammed the Canadian Firearms Program offices, Freberg said, because so many people are trying to get their guns transferred to younger family members so they won’t have to be surrendered.

Freberg said he has tried to meet with Mendicino to discuss the bill, but nothing has been scheduled since a previous meeting was cancelled a couple of months ago.

“We’ve had no conversations or consultations on this bill, or any other bill, frankly, as related to the order of council,” Freberg said.