Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is ramping up his efforts to support law-abiding gun owners after announcing two firearms-related initiatives on Wednesday.
The province is developing a firearms advisory committee as well as a special forensic testing unit to speed up the prosecution of gun crimes.
The Alberta government disagreed with the federal government’s proposed legislation to ban 1,500 assault-style firearms for use, sale, import or transport across Canada.
“Alberta has a long history of responsible firearms ownership,” said Kenney.
He said he believes the federally imposed measures would unfairly target licensed hunters, sport shooting enthusiasts, law-abiding farmers and ranchers who use weapons for predator and pest control.
“The federal government has introduced hasty and ill-thought out measures that penalize law-abiding gun owners while doing little to stop criminals who traffic or use illegal firearms,” Kenney said.
He added drug gangs traffic 80 percent of the country’s illegal weapons from the United States.
“Those law-abiding Albertans should not be used as scapegoats for the actions of criminals by politicians in Ottawa,” Kenney said.
“The treatment of farmers and duck hunters like criminals will do nothing to deter criminals.”
Firearms forensic test unit
The premier also announced the province will set up its own firearms testing lab to end its reliance on the RCMP’s National Forensic Laboratory Services in Ottawa.
To prosecute gun crimes, forensic evidence from a testing facility is a legal requirement. Calgary Police Service (CPS) has its own testing facility and Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is developing one.
However, most police services in Alberta use the RCMP’s National Forensic Laboratory.
“Today there is a wait averaging eight months for results,” said Kenney.
The long wait allows for criminal prosecutions to be dismissed outright and allows criminals to go free he explained.
Alberta Justice is working with CPS, EPS, RCMP and Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) to develop the firearms testing unit at the existing lab in Calgary. Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer stated that once completed, it will have the capacity to process 750 cases annually. Currently Alberta does about 600 tests yearly.
Schweitzer added the expansion would cost about $500,000. The money would come from ALERT funding.
“This will speed up the process to ensure that no prosecution of a gun crime gets derailed because tests are held up in Ottawa,” Kenney said
Firearms advisory committee
The newly created firearms advisory committee is designed to strengthen the province’s powers on gun law. It has the authority to provide recommendations and on how the province can better assert provincial jurisdiction over gun law while respecting Alberta’s long history of responsible firearms ownership.
Michaela Glasgo, MLA for Brooks-Medicine Hat will chair the 12-member committee. It also includes farmers, ranchers, hunters, trappers and shooting sports enthusiasts, as well as other politicians such as Shane Getson, MLA for Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland.
