Saturday, June 15, 2024
ADVT 
National

MPs censure National Firearms Association

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Feb, 2021 12:31 AM
  • MPs censure National Firearms Association

The National Firearms Association has been censured by a House of Commons committee for inflammatory comments about the Trudeau government's recent gun control legislation.

The national security and public safety committee unanimously passed a motion Monday condemning the association's response to the gun bill, with the support of Liberal, Bloc Québécois and New Democrat members.

The four Conservative committee members abstained.

Liberal MP Pam Damoff proposed the motion, citing a video podcast about the bill last week in which the group's president Sheldon Clare recounted a conversation with someone who suggested Canadians should "construct guillotines" in response to government "tyranny."

Damoff says last month's riot at the U.S. Capitol shows what happens when "inflammatory words provoke insurrection and violence."

Clare did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Damoff told the committee Monday that Canada is not immune to the kind of violence that erupted in Washington.

She cited the example of heavily armed military reservist Corey Hurren, who rammed the gate at Rideau Hall last July in a bid to confront Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about, among other things, the ban on assault-style firearms.

Hurren pleaded guilty earlier this month to eight charges related to the incident.

Damoff also raised the issue of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh being accosted last fall by a member of a fringe protest group calling itself the Canadian Revolution, which had set up camp across from the building that houses the Prime Minister's Office with the stated purpose of making citizens' arrests of politicians.

"Words matter," Damoff told the committee, adding that "it's time to stop accepting these kinds of rhetoric and vague threats."

"I think we need to take a stand. We need to shut down this kind of language, this way of talking and thinking that's OK to talk about building guillotines and laughing about those kinds of comments in a public forum."

Conservative MP Shannon Stubbs said her party takes threats against politicians "extremely seriously," citing examples of threats she and her staff have received in the past.

But she suggested if the National Firearms Association president's comments constitute a threat, they should be investigated by the appropriate authorities and discussed only behind closed doors by committee members. She also suggested Clare's comments may have been taken out of context.

Liberal committee chair John McKay told Stubbs that the authorities have in fact been informed about Clare's comments.

MORE National ARTICLES

Man dead in fatal shooting in Burnaby, B.C.

Man dead in fatal shooting in Burnaby, B.C.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says in a social media post that a man was fatally shot just after 10 p.m. Thursday.

Man dead in fatal shooting in Burnaby, B.C.

Snowbirds navigate Canada's travel rules

Snowbirds navigate Canada's travel rules
There is no ban on travel and snowbirds don't think of themselves as vacationers, said Crooks, a professor at Simon Fraser University who's done research for years with snowbird communities in Florida and Arizona.

Snowbirds navigate Canada's travel rules

9 COVID19 deaths for Thursday

9 COVID19 deaths for Thursday
“Today, we are reporting 449 new cases, including three epi-linked cases, for a total of 72,305 cases in British Columbia. “There are 4,317 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. There are 224 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 63 of whom are in intensive care

9 COVID19 deaths for Thursday

Ottawa OKs Transat sale to Air Canada

Ottawa OKs Transat sale to Air Canada
The COVID-19 pandemic was also a factor since Montreal-based Transat noted it may not be able to continue on its own because of the significant financial challenges.

Ottawa OKs Transat sale to Air Canada

Cut cops, build housing: B.C. rights commissioner

Cut cops, build housing: B.C. rights commissioner
Kasari Govender says the fight against systemic racism in policing should also prompt changes to both the Police Act and the Human Rights Code to ensure protection of those most vulnerable to discrimination.

Cut cops, build housing: B.C. rights commissioner

B.C. to release more funds for oil and gas cleanup

B.C. to release more funds for oil and gas cleanup
B.C. Energy Minister Bruce Ralston says the second half of the funding is set to be dispersed in the coming months after the first $50 million supported about 1,000 jobsand reclamation activities at nearly 1,900 sites.

B.C. to release more funds for oil and gas cleanup