Justin Trudeau on Gun Control

Justin Trudeau has made strengthening federal gun control laws a consistent priority since his election in 2015, often citing high-profile shootings, both domestic and international, as motivation for action. His government moved to implement Bill C-71, which included enhanced background checks and tightened rules for certain firearms, despite opposition from the firearms community. Following this, the government enacted a May 2020 Order in Council that immediately prohibited approximately 1,500 models of what it termed "military-style assault firearms," primarily semi-automatic rifles, and promised a federal compensation and buyback program for affected owners. This initial ban was criticized by some advocates for allowing existing owners to keep prohibited firearms via a grandfathering provision.

More recently, his government introduced further legislation, Bill C-21, to implement a national freeze on the sale, purchase, and transfer of handguns, along with other measures like increased criminal penalties for smuggling and a "red flag" law to remove firearms from individuals deemed a danger. His position often involves taking a cautious approach that seeks to address gun violence while attempting to avoid antagonizing the majority of legal firearm owners. However, a prominent gun control group has criticized the buyback program as a 'waste' because it allows for the substitution of banned firearms with similar legal ones.