Moe criticizes federal firearms bill consultation process

The federal government has introduced new gun control legislation banning certain types of firearms, allowing municipalities to ban handguns and increasing criminal penalties for gun smuggling.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe responded to the news Tuesday, expressing disappointment with the consultation process on the bill.

"I think our consultation has ultimately in total amounted to a phone call after the legislation was introduced publicly," he said. "That's the degree of consultation that our province, at least Saskatchewan, has had."

Moe said the bill does not reflect the firearms issues that are most concerning to Saskatchewanians. 

"Had we been consulted, I think we would have quickly indicated to the federal government that it isn't law abiding firearms owners that are the problem when it comes to crime rates using firearms," he said. "It most certainly is firearms that are acquired by a different way, either smuggled — and I think they're addressing that here today — but also stolen. 

Moe said stolen firearms are responsible for many of the gun-related crimes in Saskatchewan.

The provision in the federal bill that would allow cities to ban handguns may not have a significant impact in Saskatchewan. During the last session of the legislature, the province passed legislation to bar municipalities from making their own gun laws.

"We've had to be fairly proactive to prevent this patchwork of different municipal laws in different communities across Saskatchewan," said Moe.

Moe acknowledged that firearms are under federal jurisdiction, but pointed to the province's decision last year to create its own chief firearms officer.

"The laws will be interpreted by a provincial appointee, the chief firearms firearms affairs officer here in Saskatchewan."