By Geoff Smith (@GeoffSmithLNN on Twitter)

Firearms instructor concerned about additional burden

Mar 21, 2018 | 10:54 AM

LETHBRIDGE – The thing that stands out most to the vice-president of the Lethbridge Fish and Game Association about Ottawa’s proposed firearms changes is what he considers to be an extra burden on legitimate sport shooters.

Allan Friesen, an instructor for both the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course, wonders how it will help police to require an authorization to transport a restricted firearm. The plan is to exempt such movement between the owner’s home and an authorized firing range, and Friesen says that’s 99 per cent of the time.

“I have hundreds of my peers who are firearms owners, whose firearms are just a piece of equipment that they use to enjoy a very exciting and dynamic sport. So, those are the people that are doing it right and those are the people that aren’t the problem.”

– Allan Friesen

“They’ve got a good system. Why fix something that isn’t broken?” Friesen wondered during an interview with Lethbridge News Now.

“Every time new firearm legislation comes out, generally it puts more paperwork and administrative-type burdens on responsible firearm owners, who are going to follow the law. They’re going to do it. But it’s really not getting at the root of the problem of people who use firearms illegally, criminally, those kinds of things.”

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Background checks on firearm buyers currently focus on the past five years. Friesen is concerned that removing that focus to look at the buyer’s entire lifetime could make it difficult for anyone to pass.

But he believes Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who insisted his government will not bring back the long-gun registry implemented by the Chretien Liberals.

“I was concerned about the whole 20 years of records thing, and is that, through the back door, bringing in the registry?” Friesen asked. “But then again, you need a court order to access that. I guess that’s not a registry.”

Friesen said gun owners have no problems with actions that target criminal behaviour. But that distinction needs to be made.

“I have hundreds of my peers who are firearms owners, whose firearms are just a piece of equipment that they use to enjoy a very exciting and dynamic sport. So, those are the people that are doing it right and those are the people that aren’t the problem.”

by Geoff Smith (@GeoffSmithLNN on Twitter)

Firearms instructor concerned about additional burden

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