e-111 (Firearms)

Petition to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

• The current firearm legislation classifies the semi-auto Armalite Rifle - 15 and variants as restricted when there is no inherent difference between it and that of hundreds or thousands of other firearms in Canada which have been, in due process, classified as non-restricted;
• The restriction on the AR-15 and its variants prohibits the use of this semi-automatic modern sporting rifle from being used for lawful purposes such as hunting;
• This rifle has been ultimately restricted purely because of cosmetic appearance of the rifle which does not make the rifle more dangerous. It has been assembled with modern day materials (plastic & aluminium) and that shouldn't be the merit to base a rifle for restricted classification as there are thousands of other rifles like it used on a day to day basis for legitimate purposes;
• This rifle is the most versatile hunting rifle in the world. The calibre can easily be changed to meet lawful provincial hunting requirements from small game to big game animals without the need to purchase multiple gaming rifles; and
• The Armalite Rifle - 15 was in fact legal to hunt with before the mid 1990's firearm classification changes and we hunters would like that opportunity restored.