Presidents report from the United Nations, 2024

 

Presidents report from the United Nations, 2024

Canada’s National Firearms Association (NFA) remains steadfast and unwavering in its commitment to defending your rights and freedoms on the global stage, extending its advocacy well beyond Canadian borders and into the international arena.

 As the only Canadian firearms advocacy group with a seat at the United Nations as a Nongovernmental Organization (NGO), the NFA stands as a vital representative and a beacon of hope for Canadian firearms owners.

 

NFA General Manager Fournier and I recently returned from five intense and grueling days at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where we attended the Fourth United Nations Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action (POA) to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, RevCon4.

Proclamations made at the United Nations will inevitably impact Canada, posing significant challenges to our rights and freedoms regarding legal firearms ownership. This matter demands our immediate attention and active engagement.

After a week of submissions from global delegates, the next phase of the POA process began with a draft document outlining the United Nations’ position on several issues. Each day involved discussions and, after adjournment, backroom meetings in an attempt to find common ground. This process, a testament to the NFA’s unwavering dedication and perseverance, saw daily amendments and challenges from delegates. Our commitment to defending your rights and freedoms remains steadfast.

 

The international conference on firearms policy highlighted several issues. The vast majority of concerns centered around domestic violence, gender-based violence, as well as violence against women and children perpetrated with illicit firearms. Proposals included marking all firearm components, down to even the smallest spring, for traceability. The use of polymer frames was addressed due to concerns that serial numbers on those can be easily removed, rendering the guns untraceable.

 

 

There were also discussions on regulating ammunition stockpiling and marking all ammunition components for traceability. This was not part of the original talks, RevCon1, and was already a part of the international tracing instrument (ITI) at the Small Arms Treaty Talks (ATT). This was discreetly and underhandedly incorporated, a testament to why the presence of groups like ourselves at these talks was vital. 

 

 

Shockingly, the discussions also touched on the links between the illicit firearms trade and climate change, as well as blaming firearms for other environmental harms, blatantly showing the cracks of an ideologically based, predetermined bias.

 

 

It is important to note that UN proclamations are not enforceable. However, countries can incorporate them into their existing laws, which is likely Justin Trudeau’s intention. Much in the same way as the Canadian government has leveraged recent high-profile ‘commissions’ to advance anti-firearms legislation, a UN proclamation would serve as yet another significant instrument to further their discriminatory agenda.

This could have far-reaching consequences for Canadian Firearms Owners, so it was of utmost importance that we attend, allowing Canadian voices to be heard. All too often, our nation finds itself in an undeservedly secondary role to more vocal and active parties driven by ideological or financial motives. These parties, lacking a direct stake in the issues, wield influence and decision-making power based solely on their own ideological agendas.

 

 

Pro-firearm members are considerably outnumbered at the United Nations. The NFA, along with the United States, Ukraine, Israel, Cuba, Russia, Egypt, and Iran, as well as American organizations like the National Rifle Association (NRA), and Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI), stood firmly against these resolutions. Every ‘developing country’ seemed to have an anti-firearms regime and gladly correlated firearms with gender-based violence, domestic violence, violence against children, and climate change. However, vetted reports with actual statistics were scarce if presented at all. Much of their input made little to no sense and seemed aimed at aligning with a preconceived narrative to maintain their UN positions and secure much-desired finances from abroad despite empty UN coffers.

 

 

We worked tirelessly with our US colleagues, whose delegation opposed many parts of the POA. Despite our efforts to engage with the Canadian delegation, the Liberal appointee focused solely on domestic violence with illicit firearms. She seemed to lack any fact-based knowledge of domestic firearms issues, going so as far as to say that she has no idea what is going in terms of domestic firearms, being only versed in international concerns. We will be forwarding her peer-reviewed reports.

The NFA’s efforts over the past three years in establishing solid, global connections were evident in the significantly softened final draft of the POA, influenced in no small part by our input to our US colleagues, then passed on to their delegates. Moving forward, the NFA will engage in technical working groups with our allies to address important issues based on facts, not conjecture. These groups will tackle real issues regarding firearms manufacturing practices as well as challenging the almost impossible marking and tracing initiatives.

 

 

The venture was a significant success. The NFA’s input made a visible and tangible difference.
Our fact-based and common sense-driven proposals and criticisms created the obstacles necessary to prevent the NDP/Liberal federal government from using international excuses or justifications to push for more firearms legislation on the homefront.

 

The document’s final draft is available by Clicking Here.

In conclusion, the NFA is making significant gains in Canada and globally.

 

Rick Igercich

President, Canada’s National Firearms Association

To view my video brief directly after the conference, follow the YouTube link below:

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Thank you for standing with us in this vital work.