Robert Freberg officially takes over as Saskatchewan's provincially-appointed CFO

Months after the provincial government first telegraphed its move, Saskatchewan has officially installed Robert Freberg as its Chief Firearms Officer.

The move comes as some of Canada's provinces as well as many municipalities are expressing discontent with the federal government's handling of firearms issues. Some jurisdictions say the feds are going too far with recent firearms policy, and others say the new rules aren't tough enough.

It's fair to say Saskatchewan is one of the regions that feels law-abiding citizens are unfairly targeted by federal firearms regulations. As a result, in July of 2021, the province announced it would appoint Robert Freberg to the role of Chief Firearms Officer. Previously, the role was held by federal appointees.

Freberg comes into the role with a wide range of experience in the firearms world. Hunting enthusiasts should be particularly pleased to see him in the CFO position, as his 40 years with the Saskatoon Wildlife Federation as board member and volunteer (he served as president for five years) will give him lots of insight into the issues faced by sportsmen. However, he should be familiar with more than just hunting firearms. Freberg also served on the National Board of Directors for the Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA) and was a firearms instructor for both PAL and RPAL safety courses.

So, what's next? The Regina Leader-Post published a write-up of Freberg's first press conference, and there certainly didn't seem to be any indication that Saskatchewan's new CFO will rock the boat too vigorously, for now.

A provincially-issued press release says "The Government of Saskatchewan continues to oppose the federal government's firearm control measures, including Bill C-21, which will do little to impact firearm related crime in our province, and unfairly targets law-abiding firearms owners." However, Freberg seemed to want to focus on firearms safety in his press conference, instead of railing on the feds. The press release says that "In his capacity as CFO, Robert Freberg now administers the Firearms Act in Saskatchewan, which includes jurisdiction over the licensing, storage, transportation and carrying of firearms. The position of CFO is also responsible for licensing instructors who provide firearm safety training in the province." Then, it goes on to quote Freberg saying "I have known Saskatchewan gun owners my whole life and I know they stand for safe, responsible, and accountable ownership of firearms."

While firearms safety is a key component to the CFO's role, many Saskatchewan residents would probably have liked to hear some pushback against the Order in Council firearms bans, or Bill C-21. However, this is the reality that Canadian shooters need to remember. Although they may find sympathetic ears in provincial government, especially with CFO regime changes in Saskatchewan and, more recently, Alberta, there's only so much law enforcement can do, if the laws they're required to enforce are out of their hands.