First Nations leaders voted Thursday to oppose the federal government’s gun control legislation, stepping up pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to back off surprise belated changes to the proposed law. Leaders voted unanimously in favor of a resolution against the legislation, known as Bill C-21, on the final day of the annual winter meeting of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) in Ottawa. The resolution expressed concern over last-minute amendments that would criminalize weapons commonly used by First Nations people for hunting. Through the amendments the government it introduced a permanent definition of all assault-style weapons that would be automatically banned and a 307-page list of weapons defining which firearms would be banned and where there would be exceptions. The resulting backlash — coming from the NDP, the Liberal backbench, provincial and territorial premiers and even Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price — caught the Liberals off guard. Cat Lake First Nation Chief Russell Wesley, who introduced the resolution at the AFN Special Chiefs Assembly, called the bill “just another proof that our First Nations are constantly under attack with respect to our rights.” “We have treaty clauses that make sure hunting and fishing rights are protected,” Mr. Wesley told the assembly Thursday, emphasizing the importance of long guns for hunting in his Northern Ontario community. The resolution approved by the chiefs calls for a number of changes to the law, including the government removing long guns commonly used by First Nations hunters from the list of prohibited weapons. It also calls on the federal government to consult with First Nations before enacting laws that affect First Nations people’s hunting rights. Liberal MP Paul Chiang introduced the amendments on November 22, after the House public safety committee had already heard from witnesses on the original bill, which was introduced to enact government gun restrictions. The amendments greatly broaden the scope of the bill, and the bans ended up targeting common hunting rifles used in rural and northern communities, in addition to assault-style weapons. “Things have really gone off the rails for them,” said AJ Somerset, a hunter and ex-soldier who wrote a book on gun culture called Arms: The Culture and Credo of the Gun. Mr. Somerset said there is good reason to ban assault weapons, and Ottawa’s focus on how a gun works, rather than how it looks, is the right way to go. But he said the law’s definition needs to be clarified to limit the number of hunting rifles caught under it. “They’re banning assault-style weapons like they say they are, but at the same time they’re grabbing a bunch of shotguns as collateral damage,” he said. Mr Somerset also said the government’s list of banned weapons included some that did not meet the proposed definition of an assault-style weapon. For example, the Simonov SKS, a World War II-era weapon, is now commonly used for hunting. The government originally hoped to bring the bill back to the floor of the House of Commons for a third reading before the winter recess, but that timetable has been shaken by the backlash. On Thursday, the Liberals agreed to extend the committee’s study of the new law, adding two more meetings to hear witnesses on the amendments. The Liberal amendments are a “massive overreach” and a “huge mistake,” said NDP MP Charlie Angus, who represents a northern Ontario that includes many First Nation communities. “They are unnecessarily pitting rural and indigenous people against urban public safety,” he told The Globe. So far, he said, he hasn’t seen any updated language that suggests the amendment can be fixed. “You can’t sneak something like this away from the Canadian people. People aren’t that stupid.” On Thursday, Mr Trudeau told reporters his government would not change the definition of assault weapons it introduced through delayed amendments, but was open to changing the list of banned weapons it would legislate. “The definition is something we’re very committed to, but the actual list that goes with it is something we’re consulting on,” Mr. Trudeau said. The prime minister said he understands hunters and farmers are concerned the Liberals are “hunting their shotguns and rifles”. He said the government is not after these firearms and will improve the law. Before the unanimous vote at the AFN convention, half a dozen First Nations leaders lined the microphones to share their frustration, stressing that hunting in their communities was being used not for sport, but for sustenance, including to help combat food insecurity. Matachewan First Nation Chief Alex Batisse told the assembly he was “quite unhappy” with Bill C-21, calling it a violation of First Nations people’s rights. He said that coming from a northern community, he accesses these rights on a regular basis, teaching his grandson their traditional ways, “including how to handle a weapon.” “Now, this government wants to take that away from our people,” Mr Batis added. Asked about the opposition from the AFN assembly, Public Security Minister Marco Medicino told reporters that it was not the government’s intention for the bill to target weapons commonly used by hunters and indigenous people. The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), which represents the 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan, has also raised concerns about the potential impact of the legislation. “Our people cannot afford to take away our guns, especially when we are trying to put food on the table in these unprecedented times,” FSIN Vice President Heather Bear said in a statement earlier this week. In a speech to the Assembly of Special Chiefs Thursday morning, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said his party will not support any amendment to Bill C-21 that violates First Nations’ Treaty rights. With a report by Ian Bailey
