Opposition MLA says there are more pressing issues for government to focus on
Some Yukon gun enthusiasts are applauding the plan to appoint a firearms advocate for the territory — while one opposition politician says it reveals the government’s skewed priorities.
On Wednesday, Yukon Justice Minister Laura Lang tabled the proposed Yukon Firearms Act, which is largely focused on establishing the advocate as an independent voice to promote gun ownership and firearm safety. She described the move as a response to the federal government’s contentious buyback program for banned assault-style firearms.
DJ Sumanik, a self-described “social media advocate” who generates online content in the territory under the name “Yukon Strong,” supports the legislation. He was at a media briefing on Wednesday alongside Lang.
Sumanik said Yukon needs an official firearms advocate to be “a voice of reason.”
“It doesn’t really seem like Ottawa understands what’s going on in the rest of Canada anymore. Like, we have a very different way of life up here. We have a very different, you know, cultural dynamic,” he said.
Sumanik said Yukon is lucky to now have a territorial government “that’s willing to listen.”
Under the proposed Yukon Firearms Act, an appointed advocate would act as an independent agent and advise the territorial government on the impact of federal firearms legislation, advocate for Yukon gun owners and promote public safety around firearm ownership and use.
Sumanik envisions that person being a valuable “voice in Ottawa,” and a sort of emissary for Lang, “who is a little bit newer to the firearms file.”
“She needs someone to be able to sort of translate the technical aspects of this and get a feel for what’s going on at those tables and then come back and, ‘OK, here’s the plan. What are we going to do about this,’ right? So that’s valuable,” Sumanik said.
Donovan Dewis, who publishes a subscription-based newspaper in Whitehorse called Canadian Access To Firearms and was also at Wednesday’s media briefing, called the proposed legislation “a good step.”
“It’s the best thing that can be done for the Yukon right now,” he said.
Dewis also characterizes it as a necessary response to a federal government that is “in the process of taking a lot of firearms out of our hands.”
“What the federal government is doing at this point is absolutely wrong. You know, they’re taking away stuff out of people’s hands which they have no business taking, they’re not providing the proper compensation for it,” he said.
As of June, 135 firearms had been declared in the Yukon under the federal Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program. The program is voluntary.
‘Speaks to a certain number of Yukoners,’ MLA says
The Yukon Firearms Act has yet to be officially passed in the Legislative Assembly, where the Yukon Party holds a solid majority.
Opposition MLA Carmen Gustafson of the NDP says she has questions about the legislation, including the fact that the firearms advocate would be independent of government.
“It really lacks a lot of transparency and a lot of ability for the government to direct what that position does,” she said.
Gustafson also questioned the government’s priorities, saying Yukoners “are facing some really serious challenges.” She pointed to the ongoing substance use emergency that is killing Yukoners.
“The Yukon Party decided to vote against a motion to commit to more resources towards that, but they have the resources for developing a firearms advocate,” she said.
“That speaks to a certain number of Yukoners, I suppose. But you know, there are a lot of other priorities that a Yukon NDP government would prioritize before something like this.”
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Yukon to appoint firearms advocate so gun owners can ‘continue to be heard’, CBC News
United States: Alaskan authorities intercept Canadians allegedly smuggling drugs, firearms into U.S., CBC News
