One Kelowna gun shop says handgun sales are on the rise while the federal government discusses a handgun freeze.
Warehouse Manager with Great North Precision Dan Shemley said itsa国际传媒檚 not bad for business short-term.
sa国际传媒淎nytime you announce new legislation people get worried and they rush outsa国际传媒� Long-term I see it being detrimental because, of course, handgun sales do make up a not (sic) insignificant amount of our sales, especially spring/summer when you get all the people kind of shaking off the snow and going sa国际传媒榦k, Isa国际传媒檓 going to get out to the range for a daysa国际传媒�.sa国际传媒�
Bill C-21 has gone through its first reading, and if ulimately implemented would prohibit the purchase, sale, transfer, and importation of handguns.
Shemley said it targets the wrong people, law abiding citizens.
sa国际传媒淪o many people out theresa国际传媒� donsa国际传媒檛 realize exactly how intensive the program to get to the point where you can buy a gun is.sa国际传媒�
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And when it comes to getting guns out of the hands of criminals, Shemley said, sa国际传媒淭he guy thatsa国际传媒檚 going to go and rob the bank does not care if hesa国际传媒檚 breaking one more law in whatever else hesa国际传媒檚 doing. Gun owners follow the law; criminals, I mean theysa国际传媒檙e criminal, breaking another law or two really doesnsa国际传媒檛 matter.sa国际传媒�
President of the Oceola Fish and Game Club Nick Kozub couldnsa国际传媒檛 agree more.
sa国际传媒淲hat this is going to do, well the best way to explain it would be, if you have a bunch of sheep and a wolf that was taking out sheep, well if all the sheep decide to get rid of their teeth the wolf is still going to have his teeth. Yousa国际传媒檙e still going to have criminals out there, theysa国际传媒檙e still going to have these gunssa国际传媒� These arensa国际传媒檛 legal guns in the first place.sa国际传媒�
Kozub said he understands the fear factor for some, sa国际传媒淓ven Trudeau said it, why do we need guns. Well, for a lot of us itsa国际传媒檚 about more than just sport. For people to understand the enjoyment they get out of shooting is kind of the big missed part. If you take somebody who has never handled firearms before, you take them to the range, nine times out of 10 they are going to have a great time.sa国际传媒�
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He noted he has seen the occasional person leave the range fearful of the loud bangs, but it doesnsa国际传媒檛 happen often.
Kozub encourages the people pushing the bill to come to the range to see what they do, how safe it is and talk to the people who use handguns as part of their daily lives. He specified hunters filling their freezers to feed the family, farmers using firearms to put down suffering livestock, and those who just enjoy taking aim at the range.
Now is the perfect opportunity for it with National Range Day coming up on Saturday.
Both the Oceola Fish and Game Club and the Joe Rich Sportmansa国际传媒檚 Association are hosting open houses June 4, for people to learn how to safely handle a firearm.
brittany.webster@blackpress.ca
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