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Vancouver Island handgun hobbyists concerned over proposed ban in Canada

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Firearm hobbyists on Vancouver Island are voicing their concern over legislation that was proposed by the federal government on Monday.

The federal government tabled a new bill to put a freeze on handgun ownership in Canada. It was a bill that was partly created by victims of handgun violence.

"It will no longer be possible to buy, sell, transfer or import handguns anywhere in Canada," said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at an announcement Monday.

The Victoria Fish and Game Protective Association in Mill Bay, B.C., is made up of more than 5,000 members.

"Over 2,700 [members] shoot handguns," said Doug Bancroft, president of the Victoria Fish and Game Protective Association.

Bancroft says the new legislation would impact legal users without putting much of a dent in crime.

"The first thing this is going to impact is shooting sports in Canada, which are Olympic sports," said the association president.

A recent report from Statistics Canada found that the rates of firearm-related violent crimes are on the rise in this country.

"It does not address the people who are using firearms to commit violent crimes," said Bancroft.

The president of the association says guns used in those crimes are not being purchased legally here in Canada.

Instead, they are being smuggled over the border from the U.S., according to Bancroft.

An example of gun smuggling occurred just weeks ago when a drone carrying a bag of 11 handguns crashed near the U.S.-Canada border in Ontario.

Whether an all-out ban on handguns is the right approach for Canada drew mixed reactions from people who spoke with CTV News in Greater Victoria on Tuesday.

"I agree, we don’t really need handguns," said Autumn Peterson-Meechan.

When another woman, Lee Ann, was asked if she thought handguns were a problem in Canada she replied that she didn’t see an issue with them.

GIFTING HANDGUNS

Under the proposed legislation, it will become illegal to transfer a firearm in Canada.

Lilly Wall is new to the sport of shooting and recently got her restricted gun licence.

On Tuesday, her father was teaching her to use a handgun. But when the time comes, the proposed bill would bar him from gifting it to his daughter.

"It’s bizarre," said Wall. "Then what do you do with them? They were his and he purchased them so now what do we do with them?"

"Are they just going to be taken away, or [is there] no way that we can actually use them?" she said.

If the bill passes, over time handguns will be phased out in Canada.

"We’re capping the market for handguns," said the prime minister on Monday.

Handgun hobbyists say they are being targeted and this bill will do nothing to decrease violent gun-related crimes in Canada. 

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