Firearm-rights group challenges Liberal assault-style gun ban in Federal Court

OTTAWA - A firearm-rights group is challenging the constitutionality of the Liberal government's recent ban of many assault-style guns in Federal Court.

The Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights says the rifles are obviously suitable for hunting and sporting purposes since shooters have been using them this way for decades.

The coalition is asking the court to strike down new federal regulations as unlawful and beyond the scope of the powers delegated to the federal cabinet.

The Liberals outlawed a wide range of firearms by cabinet order early this month, saying the guns were designed for the battlefield, not hunting or sport shooting.

The ban covers some 1,500 models and variants of what the government considers assault-style weapons, meaning they can no longer be legally used, sold or imported.

The government proposes a program that would allow current owners to receive compensation for turning in the designated firearms or keep them through a grandfathering process yet to be worked out.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2020.