By Canadian Press

Montreal mayor supports Polytechnique survivors’ call for complete assault weapon ban

Nov 19, 2024 | 2:47 PM

MONTREAL — Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is lending her support to a gun control advocacy group as it urges the federal government to complete a list of banned assault-style weapons before a federal buyback program comes into effect.

PolySeSouvient, a group that represents survivors and families of the 1989 École polytechnique massacre, joined Plante at Montreal’s city hall today.

The group says it met with federal Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc one year ago and he assured them the list would be completed by this month.

In May 2020, more than 1,500 models of firearms were banned by the Liberal government in the aftermath of the Nova Scotia mass shooting that left 23 people dead, including the gunman.

Nathalie Provost, a survivor of the Dec. 6, 1989 Montreal antifeminist mass shooting that killed 14 women, says there is concern that owners of weapons prohibited four years ago will simply take the buyback money to buy new assault weapon models that don’t appear on the list.

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The group estimates about 450 firearms need to be added to the list of banned weapons and it is urging the government to complete the task before the next federal election.

LeBlanc previously said the long-promised gun buyback would begin this fall.

First, the government will buy banned firearms from retail stores and have them destroyed. An individual buyback program for people who own prohibited weapons begins next year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 19, 2024.

The Canadian Press