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 – After several days of behind-the-scenes negotiations, the Liberal government is set to outline a revamped approach to restricting assault-style firearms.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino is slated to speak to the media this afternoon.
In February, the Liberals withdrew an amendment to their firearms bill 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.
Gun-control advocates said the federal effort was clouded by confusing language and misleading or erroneous claims from opponents.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2023.
