The Canadian federal government has extended the amnesty period protecting firearms owners from legal liability for possessing banned guns until 90 days after the Supreme Court of Canada issues a ruling on the constitutionality of the ban, which is expected next year.
Amnesty Extension Details
The amnesty order, originally set to expire on October 30, now applies to owners of approximately 2,500 makes and models of firearms that have been prohibited since May 2020 under the Liberal government's policy. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree announced the extension on Tuesday, stating that the decision respects the judicial process.
"When there is a Supreme Court hearing on a matter that is quite relevant to the program, I think it's incumbent upon lawmakers to ensure that we respect that process," Anandasangaree told the National Post. "While we would have preferred to have the amnesty in place for October ... we have to respect the Supreme Court and their ability as the final arbiter of Canadian law to weigh in, and that's what we're doing today."
The minister noted that the decision was made in coordination with Justice Minister Sean Fraser, who oversees the amnesty period.
Background of the Gun Ban
The Supreme Court's decision to hear a challenge against the Liberals' initial firearms ban, enacted in May 2020, represents the latest obstacle for the long-delayed and controversial policy. The ban was first promised by then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the 2019 federal election.
The Liberals argue that the ban targets firearms deemed too dangerous for civilian use, such as the AR-15. In contrast, firearms owners and lobby groups contend that the policy unfairly targets law-abiding gun owners and includes weapons used for hunting and sports shooting. The opposition Conservatives have pledged to scrap the policy entirely, calling it a waste of taxpayer money.
Legal Challenges
The Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights, a prominent gun lobby group, initiated legal action after Trudeau's cabinet enacted the first ban on about 1,500 makes and models of firearms in May 2020, shortly after a gunman killed 22 people in a mass shooting in rural Nova Scotia.
The initial amnesty period was expected to end in April 2022 but has been extended multiple times as the federal government struggled to implement a compensation program for affected gun owners.
The coalition's court challenge focuses on the method by which the 2020 ban was implemented—through an order-in-council by cabinet rather than legislation passed by Parliament. The Federal Court dismissed the appeal for judicial review in 2023, and the Federal Court of Appeal also rejected the appeal last year.
In March, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the appeal, with the provincial governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario—all of which oppose the federal policy—set to participate as interveners.
