NAWL Statement – Assault Weapons Buyback Launch and the 35th Anniversary of the Montreal Femicides at École Polytechnique

The National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) commends the Government of Canada’s announcement of critical steps to strengthen gun control measures and increase women’s safety, including the launch of a national assault weapons buyback program and the coming into force of new domestic violence measures.

Last year, with the support of 32 women’s organizations as the #Women4GunControl coalition, NAWL worked to secure provisions in Bill C-21, an Act to Amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms), which amended and strengthened the Firearms Act, to address Canada’s twin epidemics of femicide and intimate partner violence.

Bill C-21 received Royal Assent on December 15^th, 2023 and NAWL is pleased to learn that the regulations to implement the domestic violence provisions will be tabled by January 2025.

These provisions will ensure that firearms licences are revoked when there are reasonable grounds to suspect that someone may have engaged in domestic violence or stalking, or if they become the subject to a protection order. These changes will also ensure that firearms licences are not issued to anyone who is subject to a protection order or anyone who has been convicted of an offence involving the threat or use of violence against an intimate partner or family member.

This announcement came on the eve of the 35^th anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre, where one man armed with a single legal assault weapon murdered 14 women, and severely injured 10 other women and four men.

While the type of high-powered weapon used by the assailant in the École Polytechnique femicides was finally banned from sale in 2020, that same weapon remained in the hands of owners while awaiting the implementation of the assault weapons buyback program, also announced yesterday.

NAWL commends the federal government for listening to the voices of survivors and women’s organizations. These measures will create a path forward towards a Canada that is free from gun violence.

NAWL calls on all federal party leaders to work together to ensure the permanent and full implementation of these measures to preserve the safety of women and children today and for generations to come.

“We commend the federal government for taking critical steps to strengthen gun control and enhance women’s safety, particularly by tabling regulations by January 2025 to implement new domestic violence measures.”

Suzanne Zaccour, Director of Legal Affairs, NAWL