The Alberta Legislature building (Lethbridge News Now)

By Justin Goulet

Alberta appoints first-ever Chief Firearms Officer

Aug 27, 2021 | 10:12 AM

EDMONTON, AB – The provincial government has appointed Teri Bryant as Alberta’s first-ever Chief Firearms Officer.

The role of the office includes determining licensing eligibility, compliance with legislation, overseeing the administration of firearms safety courses as well as other duties that previously fell to the federal government.

In a release, the province stated that Bryant “will advocate for responsible federal firearms legislation to deter criminals, respect property rights and make sure Albertans continue to live in safe and secure communities.”

Kaycee Madu, Minister of Justice and Solicitor General said of Bryant, “I know she will be promoting a system of firearms administration in this province that is rooted in the values and priorities of Albertans, and will fight hard for the legitimate rights of Alberta’s lawful gun owners.”

Madu will be joined later this year by the Bryant on a tour of shooting ranges in the province to connect with residents who own and use firearms. Planned stops for the tour will be released at a later date.

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Bryant said, “As a lifelong firearms collector and enthusiast, I could not be more excited for this opportunity to represent Albertans and stand up for our province’s way of life and lawful firearms culture.”

“I cannot wait to meet with other passionate Albertans with Minister Madu on our tour to find out how we can get a fair deal for Albertans.”

The office is being created in response to the Fair Deal Panel report, as well as telephone town hall sessions and a public survey conducted by the Alberta Firearms Advisory Committee.

Bryant was a member of that committee. She served as the secretary of the Alberta Arms and Cartridge Collectors Association for the last 16 years and is the president of the Military Collectors Club of Canada. Bryant was an associate professor with the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary on national and international business.

The release concluded, “as chief firearms officer, Bryant will demonstrate that public safety and a flourishing firearms community are mutually complementary goals. She will ensure that we preserve for future generations a firearms heritage that reflects Alberta’s values of safety, responsibility and respect for individual rights.”

The federal Canadian Firearms Program is responsible for administering the Firearms Act and regulations. Under the act, provinces can opt-in and administer the program through a provincial chief firearms officer. For provinces that opt-out, the federal government administers the program through a federal chief firearms officer.

Alberta joins Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia as provinces that have opted-in. Saskatchewan is also in the process of transitioning to a provincial chief firearms officer.

As of December 31, 2019, there were 326,519 licensed firearms owners in Alberta.