The federal Liberal government’s contentious gun control legislation Bill C-21 passed the Senate without changes on Thursday, becoming law on Friday.
The bill passed the House of Commons in May after months of division and political acrimony. The version that made it to the Senate was significantly expanded from what the federal government had initially tabled a year ago.
Bill C-21 passed by a vote of 60 to 24and with applause in the upper chamber.
The legislation includes measures to:
- Tighten gun laws to include “red flag” and “yellow flag” provisions relating to a gun owner posing a risk to themselves or others;
- Impose a “freeze” on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns in Canada;
- A prospective Criminal Code “technical definition” of what constitutes a prohibited assault-style firearm, meant to “cement in law” a permanent ban on future models once the bill comes into force;
- A series of provisions meant to make it illegal to make or buy ghost guns and to combat firearms smuggling; and
- Wording makes clear the government’s intent to uphold Indigenous treaty rights.
The bill also includes a requirement for a parliamentary review of the technical definition five
