Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino waits to appear at the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, in Ottawa, Monday, April 17, 2023. After several days of behind-the-scenes negotiations, the Liberal government is set to outline a renewed attempt at enshrining a definition of banned assault-style firearms in legislation. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
OTTAWA – The Liberal government is proposing a ban on assault-style firearms that would apply once legislation comes into force.
It also plans to recreate a federal firearms advisory committee that will make recommendations on the classification of guns now on the market.
After several days of behind-the-scenes negotiations, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino outlined the revamped federal approach today.
The Liberals withdrew a gun bill amendment in February that would have spelled out in law the various models to fall under an assault-style gun ban.
The Liberals had billed the definition as an evergreen measure that would cement in legislation a May 2020 regulatory ban of some 1,500 firearm models and variants, as well as hundreds of others flagged later.
The government pulled the measure after weeks of criticism from Conservative MPs and some firearm advocates who said the definition would prohibit many commonly used hunting rifles and shotguns.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2023.
