Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Hastings-Lennox and Addington MP Derek Sloan outlined his gun ownership policy platform during a virtual town hall meeting with the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights.
The Conservative Party of Canada leadership hopeful spoke with members of the CCFR-who refer to themselves as the public relations arm of the Canadian firearms community-in a meeting that was posted to their YouTube channel on May 25. He responded to a handful of questions from the CCFR host, as well as some questions submitted by its members.
“Basically it’s changing the classification system, self defense and then a few other things to deal with education and some UN treaties we’ve signed,” Sloan said of his plan.
He then went into some specifics of what the plan would look like.
“One idea I had was to basically remove the restricted category of firearms completely,” said Sloan. “So you would basically have guns that are legal to own for people who are licensed and you would have prohibited guns, which are for all intents and purposes, not legal to own. What that would mean, for legal guns, there might be a second step for licensing if you want to own handguns for example, but if you are licensed to own handguns, you would be able to use them in the same way as you would a 12 gauge shotgun or a standard long gun as you could today.”
Sloan was asked what his platform would mean for ‘carry’ laws for licensed gun owners.
“When it comes to my 12 gauge, I could pick it up right now and go for a walk down the street with it,” said Sloan. “If I had a backpack big enough to put it in, I could put it in that. I think when we start to have one set of rules for all legal firearms, your freedom to use it and have it with you, is pretty broad. I think we’re basically walking down that road, and again this is for people who are licensed and trained. If we trust you to own a firearm, we should trust you to use it properly. If you’re not going to use it properly and there’s just cause, then your license could be revoked.”
“The same rules would apply to all guns that are legal,” added Sloan. “You would be able to do handgun hunting for example or use the handgun for self protection.”
Sloan went into more detail about his self protection plank of the platform.
“I want to make specific laws that address the right to use a firearm judicially and appropriately for self protection,” said Sloan. “In case that wasn’t clear enough, I want to enshrine in law a specific right of non-retreat in one’s home and to clarify that an intruder in one’s home is presumed to be dangerous.”
Sloan was asked about his policy on dealing with illegal weapons brought in from other countries.
“We need to put more money into border patrol when it comes to checking for smuggling, we’re vastly under funded in those areas,” said Sloan. “There’s also money that could be put into law enforcement for gangs and things like that. A lot of this has to do with the way these laws are enforced in courts. I know people who have been in jail longer for praying outside an abortion clinic than for people who have been caught with an illegal fire arm.”
A video of the town hall meeting can be found at www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mxANbvns6E&feature=emb_logo.
Due to COVID-19, the Conservative leadership vote will be conducted via mail in ballot and is scheduled to conclude Aug. 21.