LETTER

 

-----   Reaction to Erin O’Toole on guns

 

Erin O’Toole hasn't exactly reversed his earlier commitment to repeal the 2020 firearms prohibitions. Yes, he said he would maintain those prohibitions, but he also promised a review of "all firearms classifications". It is not hard to predict how such a review would play out, as he has repeatedly stated that farmers, hunters and sport shooters ‘have been unfairly caught up’ in the Liberals’ 2020 ban. 

It is obvious that Mr. O’Toole has finally realized that he can’t fool Canadians with his confusing doublespeak on assault weapons, so now he’s offering a more convoluted stance that sounds good to the general public, but which can clearly be construed as a dog-whistle to sports shooters and collectors of assault weapons. The fact that the gun lobby has not opposed his new position and is telling their members to stay calm strongly supports this interpretation. 

The whole idea of him wanting to take politics out of the gun control file is highly ironic, given the love affair between the Conservative Party and every major gun lobby group in Canada, in addition to the role their members played in getting O’Toole elected party leader. 

On September 6 Erin O'Toole once again refused to answer a question about his intentions regarding gun control, this time with respect to the implementation or repeal of Bill C-71. Yet his previous positions as well as his election platform clearly commit to repealing this legislation. 

Heidi Rathjen, Polytechnic survivor

Montréal