MONTREAL, Dec. 5, 2024 /CNW/ – NOT HERE, a pan-Canadian group of students advocating for a ban on assault weapons and other gun control measures, applauds the Trudeau government’s decision to issue a new Order in Council aimed at completing the list of assault weapons banned in Canada as well as its launch of the mandatory buy-back program for these weapons. Since the 2020 list of newly prohibited assault weapons, NOT HERE and other gun control advocates like PolyRemembers have warned the government of the inherent dangers of a buyback program based on an incomplete list of assault weapons.
“With today’s announcement, the Liberal government is taking a major step forward in protecting Canadians,” says Gabriel Comby, spokesperson for the NOT HERE movement and external affairs coordinator for the Polytechnique Student Association.
“Unfortunately, we see it all too often in schools in the United States: easy access to assault weapons is the most important factor in triggering mass killings. Students deserve to be able to develop their full potential in a safe environment, and this measure announced today reaffirms this right. 35 years after the mass feminicide at Polytechnique, we are finally seeing the culmination of the work begun at the time by Polytechnique students, and since taken up across the country.”
“We are delighted that these weapons, which are based on military models, can no longer fall into the hands of malicious actors.”
The work is not over, however: it is imperative that the buy-back program for banned weapons be completed before the next federal election, to avoid any backtracking.
“Only when our streets are completely free of these weapons will the Canadian population and Canadian students be able to have complete peace of mind and a full sense of security.”
About the PAS ICI/NOT HERE movement:
PAS ICI / NOT HERE is a Canada-wide gun control movement representing over 285,000 students from 18 student associations.
SOURCE PAS ICI / NOT HERE