Canadian Shooting Sports Association

06/16/2026

Competitive handgun shooters across Canada are facing an uncertain future. Since Ottawa’s 2023 ban on the sale and transfer of handguns, participation in sports like practical shooting has dropped dramatically. Prime Minister Trudeau claimed the legislation would make communities safer, but it’s leaving law-abiding athletes sidelined and entire disciplines at risk.

CSSA Director John Evers, spoke with CBC Edmonton AM about how these changes are hurting our sport — and what’s at stake for responsible gun owners and competitors. We believe in fair treatment and real solutions, not policies that target the wrong people.

Listen to John’s interview and join the conversation. Our community deserves to be heard.

06/16/2026

"‘There’s no need in Canada for civilians to be involved in such activities, and they are very much at odds with Canadian values and culture.’ — Wendy Cukier, CBC News, June 12, 2026

We could not disagree more.

Handgun sport shooting is a proud Canadian tradition—rooted in discipline, safety, and community. Our athletes train under some of the strictest regulations in the world, and their achievements on the national and international stage are a testament to their dedication and the values Canadians truly share: responsibility, fairness, and excellence.

Legal sport shooters in Canada are vetted, closely monitored, and passionate about safety. There is no evidence linking our community to the criminal misuse of fi****ms. Instead, we build camaraderie, personal growth, and a sense of belonging—values that run deep in Canadian culture from coast to coast.

To suggest our community stands "at odds" with Canadian values is not only wrong, it erases the thousands of law-abiding citizens who find meaning, challenge, and achievement in this sport.

We call on all Canadians to look beyond the rhetoric and see the truth: Shooting sports are part of our heritage, and our values are as Canadian as they come.

Source: CBC News, ‘Northern Alberta sport shooters say pending handgun ban targets wrong people’, June 12, 2026.

06/15/2026

Licensed gun owners get the paperwork. Criminals get the headlines.

While Ottawa focuses on confiscating rifles from law-abiding Canadians, police across the country are busy dealing with real threats: shootings, organized crime, repeat offenders, and illegal guns.

Why is the government targeting the compliant instead of the criminals?

👉 Click the link to see what’s really happening behind the headlines. Don’t miss this.

On June 3, Public Safety Canada published the collection schedule for their fi****ms confiscation compensation scheme. One more press release is this Liberal government’s idea of “enhancing public safety.” Meanwhile, in the same week, police forces across Canada issued press releases about ver...

06/14/2026

The Liberal government’s “Assault-Style Fi****ms Compensation Program” was supposed to make Canada safer. So what’s the #1 gun being turned in?

A pink GSG-16 in .22LR.
That’s right—the same rimfire plinker you use to teach your kids gun safety, pop cans in the backyard, and keep gophers out of the garden.

Nearly 5,000 Canadians have claimed compensation for this “dangerous weapon.” According to the government’s own data, rimfire rifles like the GSG-16 make up a big chunk of the fi****ms being confiscated. Meanwhile, politicians keep talking about “military-grade” threats while ignoring who these laws actually target—licensed, law-abiding gun owners.

Here’s the punchline:
• These .22s are about as threatening as a water balloon at a summer BBQ.
• Real criminals? Not interested—they don’t register their guns, and they sure don’t turn them in.
• “Public safety” apparently means taking away your daughter’s pink plinker while the rest of us are left scratching our heads.

This is what happens when policy is driven by political theatre, not facts.
If you think this is as ridiculous as we do, tell your MP. Share this post. Start a conversation.

Data source: TheGunBlog
Source: House of Commons, Q-1113

Canada deserves better than this.

06/13/2026

Gun confiscation efforts are falling flat. Despite millions budgeted and lofty goals, only a tiny fraction of banned fi****ms have been surrendered. The public isn’t buying what the government’s selling — and neither are we.

06/13/2026

MP Zimmer is right to raise concerns about the ongoing confusion and real impact of federal fi****ms policies in the Northwest Territories.

Minister Alty claims “hunting rifles aren’t being confiscated,” but the facts don’t match the rhetoric. We continue to see commonly-used hunting rifles—tools for putting food on the table in the North—added to the prohibited list. Even former MPs from the NWT have acknowledged this, and local hunters are feeling the effects.

Meanwhile, violent crime in the NWT is at a record high, and the RCMP are short nearly 1 in 4 officers—while $203 million is spent targeting law-abiding firearm owners, not criminals. This is not a public safety strategy. It’s a political agenda.

The CSSA stands with responsible hunters, sport shooters, and all Northern Canadians who depend on their fi****ms for tradition, sustenance, and protection. We call on Ottawa to focus resources on real crime and policing needs—not costly, ineffective confiscation programs.

06/13/2026

We are deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of Richard Igercich, President of Canada’s National Fi****ms Association.

Rick was a dedicated leader and a passionate advocate for the rights of Canadian fi****ms owners. He brought commitment and integrity to his role as President of the NFA, working tirelessly to represent the interests of the fi****ms community.

The Canadian Shooting Sports Association was fortunate to have a strong and respectful relationship with Rick. He approached every challenge with sincerity and conviction, and those who knew him valued his honesty, perseverance, and unwavering belief in responsible fi****ms ownership
We extend our deepest condolences to Rick’s family, friends, and everyone at Canada’s National Fi****ms Association (NFA). Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time.

Rest in peace, Rick.
1961–2026.

06/11/2026

A recent CityNews story claims that “the vast majority of crime guns traced by the RCMP in 2023 and 2024 came from within Canada.” On the surface, that sounds alarming—and it’s already being used to justify more restrictions on honest Canadian gun owners.

But here’s what they aren’t telling you:

The RCMP’s tracing data only covers the guns they personally track—mostly from rural areas and mainly long guns (rifles and shotguns). Their own report admits this does NOT include most crime guns in Ontario and Quebec, where the majority of Canada’s handgun crime happens.

Let’s talk about the real facts:
According to Toronto Police, 88% of the crime guns they seized in 2024 were traced directly to the United States. The New York Times reports that 91% of handguns used in urban Canadian crimes are smuggled in from the US—not from Canadian gun owners.

The RCMP numbers are dominated by rural guns, often stolen or involved in non-violent offences. Meanwhile, the guns used in actual shootings and gang crimes in our cities are handguns, smuggled across the border.

Don’t let selective stats mislead you.
The real issue isn’t Canadian hunters, farmers, or sport shooters—it’s organized crime and cross-border smuggling. Policies that target law-abiding citizens do nothing to stop the real source of urban gun violence.

We urge Canadians and policymakers to focus on the facts:
• Border security, not more restrictions on legal gun owners, is the answer.
• Let’s stop blaming the people who follow the rules, and start targeting the criminals who don’t.
•
— Canadian Shooting Sports Association

06/10/2026

Tony Bernardo, Executive Director of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, will be attending the upcoming Gun Confiscation Town Hall in Sudbury to show support for responsible fi****ms owners. This event is hosted by Conservative MPs Jim Bélanger (Sudbury East—Manitoulin—Nickel Belt) and Cheryl Gallant (Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke).

Tony looks forward to joining community members and engaging in this important conversation.

📅 Friday, June 12, 2026
📍 Club Accueil Age d’Or Azilda — 64 Notre Dame St E, Azilda, ON
🕔 Registration: 5:15 PM | Speakers: 6:00 PM

Let’s make our voices heard and stand together for responsible fi****ms ownership.

06/10/2026

Quebec’s police are phoning the spouses of licensed gun owners—not because of any complaint or threat, but simply because someone in the home legally owns a firearm.
This isn’t about targeting criminals. It’s about treating responsible, heavily-vetted Canadians as suspects—despite the existing red flag laws, background checks, and ongoing screening.

Our friends at Rebel News ask the right question: If all these laws are already in place to prevent violence, why are police investigating people who haven’t done anything wrong?
Where does it end? Will lawful gun ownership always be treated as a crime-in-waiting?

We stand for evidence-based policy, not political theatre or blanket suspicion of Canada’s most scrutinized citizens.

See our latest commentary—featuring a satirical take on Ottawa’s approach to gun control.

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