Long Gun Ban: Canada Post Refuses To Handle Confiscated Gun Shipments

Canada Post is refusing to handle shipments of confiscated firearms, according to a letter the postal service has written to the federal government.

Leaked, partially, by federal sources who are not authorized to speak on the matter publicly, the letter cited concerns over "employee security," with "one key source of concern" being the potential for conflict between postal workers and gun owners. From this language, it can be assumed that other concerns were presented as well, and likely included concerns about the obvious potential criminal threat posed by theft and robbery from criminal elements to concerns around internal policy issues or theft that may compromise the integrity of the postal system, or gun confiscation itself.

The plan presented to the federal government by contractor IBM, in response to the May 1st, 2020 Order in Council banning some 1,500+ varieties of long gun, involved gun owners applying for confiscation and compensation through an online portal, prior to receiving a government-issued box via Canada Post, into which the firearm for confiscation would be secured and shipped to the Firearms Program for evaluation, valuation, and eventual destruction.

Gun owners were quick to identify issues with this plan, ranging from the lengthy chain of custody of prohibited firearms for which the owner would likely be liable to the use of identifiable standardized boxes as potential risks, and it would be reasonable to assume Canada Post has alighted on at least some of the same issues - especially given the mail carrier's recent increase in firearms shipment regulations, which include policies around ensuring firearms are shipped in "anonymous packaging."

Government officials maintain that Canada Post is the most efficient and cost-effective way to "recover" newly prohibited firearms, and is reportedly still in talks with the Crown corporation, with a supposed compromise being sought around Canada Post "transport the weapons without taking charge of receiving them." Federal sources also said, "It's a challenge, but we do not think this jeopardizes our timetable or the government's desire to move forward," which may be interpreted as meaning such a compromise is likely - or, perhaps, that the government is being realistic about their ability to action this plan before the next election.

Editorial Note:

The only potential concern for gun owners around this news is the seemingly selective nature of the alleged "leak." As can be seen in the CBC coverage linked above, direct quotes were provided by the sources, but only one cause for Canada Post's security concerns was - and it just so happens to be both the least realistic security concern, and the one that paints gun owners in the worst light.

Every gun owner who participates in the confiscation will be likely doing so voluntarily; an amnesty currently protects owners of "newly prohibited firearms" from being charged and will likely be extended until the program is terminated - the Ministry of Justice will likely demand it, Public Safety has intimated the confiscation program for individuals will not occur until at least 2025, and the next election is slated to be within 10 days of the current amnesty expiring - all reasons for it to be extended. That is all to say that it's hard to envision gun owners voluntarily taking part in a confiscation/compensation program representing much risk of conflict to Canada Post employees facilitating that.

Conversely, the threat to Canada Post facilities and staff by criminals who will target both seems like a more realistic and obvious concern, leading one to wonder why this very specific concern centred around potential conflict with gun owners was highlighted as the solitary example provided by these unnamed "federal sources."

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