CALGARY — Make a donation to one Libertarian Party candidate in Alberta, and get a chance to win a semi-automatic rifle.
The party’s association in Yellowhead, a mostly rural district in west-central Alberta, is giving away a AR-15 semi-automatic carbine after election day on Oct. 19.
The sport rifle, valued at $1,200, was donated to the campaign by North Eastern Arms CEO Jeff Hussey.
“We have very strong views on property rights,” said candidate Cory Lystang.
“We have a very good firearms policy among us – we want to start treating firearms owners as individuals instead of criminals.”
He told radio show Afternoons with Danielle Smith, CHQR that he checked with Elections Canada before arranging the promotion.
He says he was told it had never been done before, but it did not run afoul of any election rules.
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Elections Canada says the Elections Act only addresses the “contribution aspect” of this case, that is, the value of the donated prize and the value of tickets purchased, which constitute “contributions” to the party.
As long as the contributions are properly reported after the election, Elections Canada says, the giveaway complies with election law.
The AR-15 is a semi-automatic assault rifle that is a civilian version of the military M-16. It’s made by several manufacturers and is restricted in Canada. Typically the AR-15 is used for target practice at ranges in Canada.
It’s the same type of gun Adam Lanza used to kill 27 people, mostly young children, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012. It’s also the same firearm James Holmes used months earlier to shoot dozens of people, killing 12, in a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado.
In Canada, AR-15 owners must have a restricted firearms licence and inform their province’s Chief Firearms Officer every time they transport their gun outside their home.
The winner of the giveaway must be 18 years and older and have a restricted firearms licence in order to receive the prize.
“The mission of the Libertarian Party of Canada is to reduce the responsibilities and expense of government,” it says on the Libertarian Party website.
“This, so that we may each manage our lives to mutually fulfil our needs by the free and voluntary exchange of our efforts and property for the value that best realizes our happiness.”
Global News attempted to contact Alberta’s Chief Firearms Officer, but was redirected to a general RCMP media relations line in Ottawa. We are awaiting a reply.
With files by Karen Bartko, Kristy Peterson Global News
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