Nunavut leaders glad to see Bill C-21 amendments dropped

Proposed amendment to Bill C-21 would seen many hunting rifles and shotguns banned

By Trevor Wright Northern News Services Nunavut

Bill C-21, proposed federal legislation, had an amendment to ban certain long guns such as some models of rifles and shotguns. The Liberal government later withdrew the controversial amendment on Feb. 3, saying there needed to be more consultation on the matter.

Of the proposed 1,500 firearms were listed to receive amendments to their status are many hunting rifles Inuit in Nunavut use for hunting and protection from wildlife. This part of the amendment went too far for Nunavummiut according to Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeegagok.

“Our government supports policies that foster the safe use of firearms. But the needs of Indigenous hunters need to be considered. The amendments proposed to Bill C-21 did not reflect the realities of our Nunavut communities that rely of firearms as a tool for subsistence harvesting,” said Akeeagok. “I’m glad to see these amendments withdrawn.”

In the lead-up to the amendment being withdrawn, it was proving controversial among Nunavut leaders.

“Bill C-21 was about getting handguns off the streets, but now with this latest amendment, the Liberal government has shown how out of touch they are with the daily life of Nunavummiut,” said Nunavut MP Lori Idlout, who opposed the bill.

It wasn’t just Nunavut’s MP opposed to the amendment to Bill C-21, the Nunavut Association of Municipalities on Jan. 16 came out against the bill in an open letter to Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok.

“With the high cost of food in the North and the animal-human conflict that we may experience on the land, the firearms we are currently using allows us to maintain our own food security and safety,” wrote Joe Savikataaq Jr, president of NAM and mayor of Arviat.

The amendment would have caused hardship among residents of Nunavut, he added.

According to Savikataaq, it sometimes takes multiple shots to scare off bears, something that banning semi-automatic rifles would have slowed down.

“If this bill is passed, we will have to shoot to kill to protect ourselves from aggressive bears. This legislation, as amended, will increase fatalities for both bears and for Nunavummiut.”

He added that the former proposed legislation doesn’t make sense in the context of says amendments to Bill C-21 show how “out of touch” the current federal government is with what happens in Nunavut. Canadian Press/Justin

Nunavut.

“If the intention of the bill is to improve the safety of humans in urban areas, it makes sense. It doesn’t make sense to include the firearms that Inuit hunters need to harvest their food from the land and water. Life is hard enough as it is for Nunavummiut,” Savikataaq stated.

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