Hugh Devereux-Mack: Council of Licensed Firearms Owners Spokesperson on the expected changes to the Arms Act

The Government's set to lay out what it plans to do about the gun laws. 

Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee is expected to announce her rewriting of the Arms Act this morning. 

Council of Licensed Firearms Owners Spokesperson Hugh Devereux-Mack says they want clearer definitions around when a firearm could be taken away for non-criminal reasons. 

He told Ryan Bridge the current Act says Police need to consider any relevant matters deemed appropriate, which he believes is a vague catch-all. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Government today here back home will announce plans what to
do about the guns. Nicole McKey is set to lay
out her rewriting of the Arms Act. But what changes
do the gun lobbyists hope come through for them. Hugh
devere Mack is with US Counsel of Licensed Firearms Owner Spokespersonshugh.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good morning, Good morning, Ryan.

Speaker 1 (00:17):
You've just been at a conference and Nicole McKee was
speaking there. Did she give you any clues about what
they might be doing.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Yeah, they gave us a few, a few sort of
heads up as to what license firems owners should expect
from the law. But I wouldn't want to steal away
the Minister's sunder. I think later on today she may
be speaking, but I can tell you what we are
hoping to hear from. We don't have any details actually
as to what's in it yet, but I can tell
you what license firearms does and it's are hoping for.
If that helps.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Yeah, let's start with the non criminal activities thing. What's
that about.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, so there's a couple of things that we'd like
to see involved in there. License firearms owners have been
losing firearm's license of her non criminal activities So the
reason that comes about is because the current Act lacks
really clear definitions, including what constitutes a fat and proper person,
which is well what we're judged to be. That comes

(01:11):
from Section twenty four a two C of the Arms Act,
which says when a finding or giving a firearms license,
they have to consider it quote any other relevant matters
the member of police considers appropriate. Now that's a vague
catchull because it's been used for people who have had
maybe a negative experience with an X. We've had people
have them because of medical reasons that are beyond their control.

(01:34):
An individual had his license canceled because he had cancer
and then had a seizure. It has nothing to do
with his safety around firearms, but as a result of that,
he had his license taken off them and his access
to hunting and putting food on the table restricted. So
a clear definition of what fit and proper means with
a clear checklist, so we all know objectively what rules

(01:55):
we have to live by, I think is a really
good and fundamental principle for the new Arms Acts. So
that would be one of them.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
Right, Okay, And so you're saying anything out that, what
about mental illness? I mean, if you've been if you've
had mental illness, should you be owning a gun?

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah? So mental illness is a really, really vague and
wide term. Right. We've had people who lose their firem's
license for showing anxiety. Now, one of the best things
you can do for curing or helping with anxiety is
getting out into the wide world and counting with your
friends safely. Of course.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
Yeah, but you also all nutbars having guns, do you?

Speaker 2 (02:29):
I mean, how do you? Absolutely so?

Speaker 1 (02:30):
How do you stop that?

Speaker 2 (02:32):
So the way you stop that is some great work
is being done with both the firem Safety Authority and
a group called Mental Hunts, which is helping men and
firearms owners get better access to mental health and finding
the way that they can have their license temporarily taken
off them while they get the help they need, and
once they're signed off by a psychologist, they can get
their license back again. That's currently how the system should work, right. Unfortunately,

(02:57):
sometimes it gets a little bit vague and a little
bit over the top, and we understand that need to
err on the side of caution, but the police are
not psychologists. Once a psychologist surreya has signed off and
said you are okay and no longer a danger to
yourself or others, then that's when the police should say, look,
the doctors and the professionals have said you can have it.
It's not our job to stand in your way, but unfortunately,

(03:18):
at this point they are still doing that.

Speaker 1 (03:20):
All right, you appreciate your chim This morning, Hu Deverau
Matt Counts of Licensed Firearmsigners spokesperson. We'll hear from Nicole
McKee Ladder today for more.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
From Early Edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live to News Talks.
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