Standing Up For PEI

The moment Charlottetown Police volunteered to confiscate your hunting rifles, sporting firearms, and heirlooms, the NFA went to work.

President Rick Igercich’s letter is now in the Chief’s hands—demanding they reconsider and refocus on actual criminals instead of Canada’s most law-abiding citizens.

Considering Prince Edward Island is in the national headlines for the first terrorism charges laid in Atlantic Canada against a man producing his own 3D-printed illegal firearms, this seems doubly apt.

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𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝑳𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒘:

Chief of Police Jennifer McCarron,

I am writing to request clarification regarding Charlottetown Police Services’ confirmation of involvement in the upcoming firearms seizure initiative in Charlottetown, and to express concerns about the potential impact on law-abiding firearms owners.

As currently understood, the scope of this initiative appears to encompass a wide range of legally owned firearms, including common semi-automatic hunting shotguns. A semi-automatic firearm, by definition, discharges a single round with each trigger pull without requiring manual cycling. This category includes many firearms traditionally used by hunters—such as over-and-under or side-by-side single-trigger shotguns—some of which were added to the prohibited list under the May 2020 Order-in-Council.

This initiative may also result in the confiscation of family heirlooms, sporting firearms, and equipment used for competitive shooting—items that carry cultural, recreational, and generational significance for many Canadians.

It is important to emphasize that seizing legally owned firearms will not meaningfully enhance public safety. Licensed firearms owners in Canada undergo continuous eligibility screening through CPIC and have demonstrated an exemplary record of safety and compliance. The genuine threats to public safety arise from criminal activity involving smuggled firearms, straw purchases, and illicitly manufactured weapons such as 3D-printed firearms. Directing enforcement resources toward these areas would more effectively address the root causes of gun-related crime.

The May 2020 prohibitions also present a concerning policy inconsistency. Firearms that were lawfully owned, safely stored, and long considered non-restricted were suddenly reclassified as “too dangerous” for ideological and political reasons, despite no change in their function or use. Owners who had previously been deemed trustworthy were implicitly recast as risks to public safety, yet they were still permitted to keep these firearms secured in their homes under repeated amnesty extensions. More than five years have passed without a single incident involving these now-prohibited firearms—further demonstrating that the original rationale for the prohibition was unfounded and not grounded in public-safety outcomes.

For these reasons, we respectfully request further clarity and an open dialogue. A discussion between your office and our organization would benefit both law enforcement and the community by ensuring that any enforcement actions are practical, evidence-based, and respectful of Canadians who follow the law.

I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you directly or have my team provide any additional information that may assist in understanding the real-world implications of these measures.

Kind regards,

Rick Igercich
President
Canada’s National Firearms Association