Canada Pulls Back Proposed Rifle Ban From Gun-Control Measures

In the aftermath of the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting last May, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rolled out gun-control legislation that would formally prohibit the purchase, sale or transfer of handguns and introduce a mandatory buyback program for roughly 1,500 firearms banned in 2020 after the deadliest massacre in the country’s history, in the East Coast province of Nova Scotia.

In the fall, Liberal lawmakers introduced amendments that broadened the proposed firearm ban to include thousands of rifles and shotguns. Critics warned the wider ban threatened the livelihood of indigenous and rural communities, whose members rely on hunting for a livelihood and sustenance.

The government on Friday withdrew its wider firearm ban.

Marco Mendicino,

Canada’s public safety minister, said the government’s focus is on prohibiting assault-style weapons, “not guns commonly used for hunting. Hunting isn’t just a proud Canadian tradition. It’s a way of life for communities across this country.”

The earlier version of Canada’s gun-control legislation had the backing of at least two other smaller political parties in Parliament. Under Canada’s current minority Parliament configuration, the Liberals need the support of at least one other party to get legislation.

Following complaints from rural dwellers and indigenous leaders, Canada’s New Democratic Party and Bloc Quebecois said that they didn’t support the broader ban on…