Our country risks alienating the law-abiding gun owners Canada needs to form the core of individuals who could – rapidly and at scale – train hundreds of thousands of Canadians in firearm usage. This is counterproductive.
As Canada continues to face escalating threats to the survival of our nation, our country must become more resilient – and fast. One of the most important ways to do this is to create a large group of citizens – at least a few hundred thousand strong – who are trained in firearms use. Not an offensive force since Canada respects the territorial integrity of other nations, but a defensive force, sending a clear message to anyone who would consider taking our territory that any such move would come at an immense cost in lives.
That’s why, while the Canadian Armed Forces should focus on embracing technology, improving domestic procurement, high-quality equipment, mass production of drones, and closer cooperation with the U.K., Europe, South Korea, and Japan, we also need a large civil defence force.
Why the gun buyback is counterproductive
With this in mind, we must form a core group of citizens who can help lead and train this civil defence force. And that core group will be drawn from Canadian Veterans and law-abiding Canadian firearm owners. Unfortunately, some in that group are being alienated by the federal gun buyback program, a program that has been rejected by many provinces, some police forces, and which appears to be incredibly inefficient.
This is deeply counterproductive. At a time when Canada needs to utilize the skills and knowledge of law-abiding gun owners, the government risks pushing that group away. This needs to change, and it needs to change fast. The Canadian government should scrap the gun buyback program, and remember that Canada’s law-abiding gun owners are an asset to our nation.
Spencer Fernando
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