Guns not for self-defense, says Canada PM Trudeau

Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week said what every citizen of democracy dreads hearing from a government: you may not use a gun to defend yourself. 

Speaking on the Pod Save America podcast Thursday, Trudeau said that Canada allows guns for hunting and sport, but not for protection. 

“We have a culture where the difference is: Guns can be used for hunting or for sport shooting in Canada – and there are lots of gun owners, and they’re mostly law-respecting and law-abiding – but you can’t use a gun for self-protection in Canada,” Trudeau said. “That’s not a right that you have in the Constitution or anywhere else.” 

Armed citizens of democracy who can defend themselves present a threat to autocrats, a title which Trudeau seems close to claiming. 

As reported by America’s Frontline News, the prime minister announced last week a sweeping ban on guns. 

“We’re introducing legislation to implement a national freeze on handgun ownership. What this means is that it will no longer be possible to buy, sell, transfer or import handguns anywhere in Canada. In other words, we’re capping the market for handguns,” he said. 

Last month, legislation was introduced in Canada’s Parliament that would allow law enforcement to inspect the private communications of individuals crossing the border.  

“At any time up to the time of release or at any time up to the time of exportation, an officer designated under subsection 2 may, in accordance with the regulations, examine documents, including emails, text messages, receipts, photographs or videos, that are stored on a personal digital device that has been imported or is about to be exported and is in the custody or possession of a person...” reads Bill S-7, which passed its second reading in Parliament on May 11.  

Trudeau has kept Canadian citizens under harsh COVID-19 restrictions throughout the pandemic. In February, Canadians protested those restrictions en masse led by a trucker convoy. In response to the non-violent protests, Trudeau further canceled the rights of Canadians by granting himself unprecedented emergency powers which allowed law enforcement to confiscate private property, among other rights violations.   

Canada’s prime minister also referred to those who opposed the mandates as having “unacceptable views”.