A Conservative MP tabled a petition in Parliament last month calling on the government to loosen restrictions around the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, which has been used in several U.S. mass shootings.
Bob Zimmer, MP for the British Columbia riding of Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies, presented the petition in the House of Commons in May, asking the public safety minister to return the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle to non-restricted status.
“We, the undersigned, lawful firearm owners of Canada, request (or call upon) the minister of public safety and emergency preparedness to reclassify the Armalite Rifle-15 back to non-restricted status so we can once again use this rifle to lawfully participate in the Canadian cultural practices of hunting,” the petition reads.
READ MORE: Popular AR-15 rifle used in Orlando shooting restricted in Canada
Zimmer said he was “honoured” to present the petition on behalf of Marc Bennett, a “firearms advocate” from Newfoundland and Labrador. It has been signed by just over 25,000 Canadians across the country including 198 signatures from other countries.
The FBI has not officially confirmed exactly what rifle was used in the shooting. U.S. officials initially described the weapon as an “AR-15-style assault rifle”
Several media outlets are reporting that the weapon used in the deadly attacks was a Sig Sauer MCX, a rifle similar to the AR-15. High-powered rifles have been at the centre of the gun control debate in the United States, with Democratic presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton calling for more gun control legislation in the wake of the Orlando shooting.
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The AR-15, or the Armalite Rifle-15, is the civilian version of the M16 rifle used by the U.S military and is classified as a restricted weapon in Canada.
For a Canadian looking to get their hands on one, they must have a firearms licence that includes restricted weapons, which involves passing two one-day safety courses and – according to the RCMP – they need “a minimum of 45 days” to process an application. Most people can only use the AR-15 in a gun range.
Steve Ridout, a spokesman for Ontario’s Chief Firearms Officer, told the Canadian Press the Ar-15 is widely available in Canada as the patent for the rifle, which was owned by Colt, ran out years ago, allowing other companies to make their own versions.
Prices listed on Canadian gun store websites ranged from around $700 to several thousand dollars.
AR-15 used in mass shootings
The assault style-weapon has been the choice for killers in the Orlando shooting, which claimed 49 people lives, the shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., which killed 14, a movie theatre shooting in Aurora, Colo., which killed 12, and the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., which killed 20 first-grade students and six teachers.
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Josh Koskoff, a lawyer representing several victims of the Sandy Hook shooting, said the Orlando tragedy was “more horrific evidence of the unique lethality of the AR-15.”
Global News attempted to reach Zimmer but did not receive a response. A spokesperson for interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose said the party’s has no position on the “issue.”
According to the petition, “This rifle has been ultimately restricted purely because of cosmetic appearance of the rifle, which does not make the rifle more dangerous.”
“This rifle is the most versatile hunting rifle in the world,” the petition argues. “The calibre can easily be changed to meet lawful provincial hunting requirements from small game to big game animals without the need to purchase multiple gaming rifles.”
A spokesperson for Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said the Liberal government has not officially responded to the petition. Goodale said the Liberals have no interest in reclassifying the Ar-15, adding that it was up to law enforcement.
“One of the commitments that we made was that judgements in these matters should be in the hand of the experts and the professionals,” Goodale told reporters in Ottawa Monday. “The police make those determinations and we would not interfere in their judgements.”
The Liberal election platform promised to make “it harder for criminals to get, and use, handguns and assault weapons.”
*With files frmom the Canadian Press
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