BILL C-230: AN EFFORT TO CLARIFY THE TERM "VARIANT"

Larry Miller, the Conservative MP for the riding of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, tabled a private member's bill today (Bill C-230) in an effort to clarify the term "variant." As it currently stands, although the term is without any clear definition pertaining to firearms in Canadian law, no less than 4,030 firearms have been classified and entered into the Firearms Reference Table as "variants." As a result, numerous firearms populate the prohibited and restricted classes by virtue of being named "variants" of other firearms, without any justifiable reason for the term having been applied.

This new Bill C-230, aimed at bringing some clarity and transparency to the classification process, would see the term "variant" entered into the Criminal Code's definitions in the following clear and concise manner: "variant, in respect of a firearm, means a firearm that has the unmodified frame or receiver of another firearm. (variante)." The press release on the matter reads:

This would be of obvious and immediate benefit to businesses that currently are forced to undergo the crap-shoot process of having firearms classified as unfortunate "variants" of guns with which they share nothing more than a passing resemblance (one of latest and most infamous of which is the downright ridiculous case of the Mossberg Blaze and Blaze 47 rifle's simultaneous classification as a non-restricted .22 and a prohibited AK-47 variant).

Furthermore, the passage of this brief bill would also benefit the Canadian Firearms Program by hugely streamlining the classification process, and bringing a greater sense of openness and transparency to the federally-managed program; two key election promises tabled by the now-governing Liberal party during the last election.

The full text of the Bill C-230 follows:

BILL C-230

An Act to amend the Criminal Code (firearm — definition of variant)

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
1 (1) Subsection 84(1) of the Criminal Code is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:
variant, in respect of a firearm, means a firearm that has the unmodified frame or receiver of another firearm. (variante)

(2) The definition prohibited firearm in subsection 84(1) of the Act is amended by striking out “or” at the end of paragraph (c), by adding “or’’ at the end of paragraph (d) and by adding the following after paragraph (d):
(e) any variant of a firearm described in any one of paragraphs (a) to (d).

(3) The definition restricted firearm in subsection 84(1) of the Act is amended by striking out “or” at the end of paragraph (c), by adding “or’’ at the end of paragraph (d) and by adding the following after paragraph (d):
(e) any variant of a firearm described in any one of paragraphs (a) to (d).‍

PROJET DE LOI C-230

Loi modifiant le Code criminel (arme à feu — définition de variante)

Sa Majesté, sur l'avis et avec le consentement du Sénat et de la Chambre des communes du Canada, édicte :
1 (1) Le paragraphe 84(1) du Code criminel est modifié par adjonction, selon l’ordre alphabétique, de ce qui suit :
variante S'agissant d'une arme à feu, qui est dotée de la carcasse ou de la boîte de culasse non modifiées d’une autre arme à feu. (variant)

(2) La définition de arme à feu prohibée, au paragraphe 84(1) de la même loi, est modifiée par adjonction, après l’alinéa d), de ce qui suit :
e) variante d’une arme à feu visée à l'un des alinéas a) à d).

(3) La définition de arme à feu à autorisation restreinte, au paragraphe 84(1) de la même loi, est modifiée par adjonction, après l’alinéa d), de ce qui suit :
e) toute variante d’une arme à feu visée à l'un des alinéas a) à d).‍