“Alberta’s government has been clear that we oppose any policy that undermines law-abiding firearms owners. Hunters, farmers, sport shooters and collectors who follow the law are not the cause of violent gun crime, and targeting them does not make our communities safer.
“That is why Alberta is continuing to stand up for lawful firearms owners by intervening in the Supreme Court of Canada appeal challenging the federal government’s 2020 firearms prohibition. By intervening, Alberta has a direct opportunity to make our position heard before the Supreme Court of Canada. We are joined by Saskatchewan and Ontario in standing up against the federal firearms ban before the Court as it considers the appeal.
“Our position has always been straightforward: firearms policy should focus resources on violent criminals and illegal firearms trafficking, not responsible Canadians who follow the law. That is why, last year, Alberta used the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act to make it clear that we will not participate in the federal firearms confiscation scheme.
“We have also made it clear to law enforcement that their time and resources should be focused on violent criminals and genuine threats to public safety, not law-abiding Albertans. Alberta has also taken further steps to protect law-abiding firearms owners by stopping municipalities from creating a patchwork of firearms policies and requiring anyone who seizes, stores or destroys firearms in Alberta to be licensed by Alberta’s chief firearms officer.
“Whether it is through making Alberta’s case before the Supreme Court of Canada or concrete provincial actions, we will continue to defend law-abiding firearms owners. Albertans who safely and responsibly own firearms for hunting, sport shooting, farming or collecting should know their provincial government has their back. We will keep fighting for firearms policies that respect lawful owners and focus public safety resources where they belong: on crime and criminals.”