'I am not a criminal': Habs goalie Carey Price speaks against controversial firearms bill
Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price has taken a stance against a proposed amendment to Ottawa's controversial Bill C-21 that would further restrict access to certain firearms in Canada.
In a photo posted to Price's Instagram account Saturday afternoon, the Habs star goalie is shown dressed head-to-toe in camouflage with a shotgun tucked under his arm.
- READ MORE: Canadiens goaltender Carey Price didn't know about Polytechnique mass shooting, team says
"I love my family, I love my country and I care for my neighbour. I am not a criminal or a threat to society," the caption reads. "What [Justin Trudeau] is trying to do is unjust. I support the [Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights] to keep my hunting tools. Thank you for listening to my opinion."
If passed, Bill C-21 would tighten legal access to handguns, as well as refine the definition of prohibited assault-style firearms.
It's this latter amendment, introduced in late November, that has drawn the ire of Canadian hunters -- Carey Price among them -- who say the definition would outlaw weapons used within their practice.
For example, Conservative Public Safety Critic Raquel Dancho has particularly objected to the inclusion of the Simonov SKS, a semi-automatic rifle she says is commonly used by Indigenous hunters.
But the Liberals have repeatedly stated their intention is not to go after hunters but to restrict certain firearms designed for the "battlefield."
The measure would build on a 2020 regulatory ban of over 1,500 models and variants of what the government considers assault-style firearms, such as the Ruger Mini-14 -- the weapon used to kill 14 women in the 1989 Ecole Polytechnique shooting in Montreal, the 33rd anniversary of which is just days away.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino has accused the Conservatives of fear-mongering and distorting the truth by claiming the Trudeau government wants to ban regular long guns and hunting rifles.
APPLAUSE FROM POILIEVRE, CCFR
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre applauded Price's statement in a Tweet Saturday, referring to the proposed legislation as a "ban [on] hunting rifles."
"Carey is absolutely right. Hunting is a great Canadian tradition. Trudeau’s attempts to ban hunting rifles are an attack on rural and Indigenous people," he wrote.
Price, who is currently on the Canadiens' injured reserve list, was also praised by the Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights (CCFR), a gun owner-rights group tagged in his original Instagram post.
"Thank you Carey Price," the CCFR wrote in an Instagram post of their own. "We won't stop working to defend [Canada's] right to own and enjoy property."
The CCFR came under scrutiny earlier this week after the group's online shop recently offered 10 per cent off for customers who used the code "POLY" at checkout.
The promo code was criticized by gun-control group PolySeSouvient, formed after the Polytechnique massacre.
PolySeSouvient also reacted to Price's comments on Twitter, stating he had been "duped" by disinformation.
"The #disinformation of [Pro-gun lobbies] on the amendment to #C21 (taken up blindly by some media) duped hero and hunter Carey Price who mistakenly believes that the latter targets shotguns and rifles," the Tweet states.
With files from The Canadian Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6971573.1721489566!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
Alberta town takes action fighting crime, addressing homelessness, addictions issues
In Cold Lake, Alta., drivers leaning through windows at the McDonald’s drive-thru have been ambushed by people running by and snatching food right out of their hands.
Workplace habit of 'coffee badging' prompts reported new policy at Amazon
The term 'coffee badging' has gained some new significance this week with multiple outlets reporting Amazon is allegedly taking measures to counter the workplace trend it refers to.
Trudeau and family head to British Columbia for vacation in unnamed location
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will head to British Columbia on Sunday, where he will be on vacation with his family until Aug. 1.
Stranger sexually assaulted Surrey woman while she was asleep in her home, RCMP say
A woman in Surrey's Newton neighbourhood woke up to a stranger groping her early Saturday morning, according to local police.
Baby dies after pregnant woman fatally struck by vehicle in downtown Toronto
A woman fatally struck by a sedan in downtown Toronto earlier this week was pregnant, and her baby has also died, police say.
'I took a bullet for democracy': Trump holds first rally after assassination attempt
Donald Trump is holding his first campaign rally since he survived an attempted assassination, returning to the battleground state of Michigan alongside his new running mate.
Democratic consensus solidifies around Harris, should Biden step aside
No one quite knows what the process of picking a new nominee would be if Joe Biden did step aside – but many Democrats say that any process is likelier than ever to quickly end with Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee.
A 12-year-old girl is accused of smothering her younger cousin over an iPhone
A 12-year-old girl in Tennessee has been charged with murder, accused of smothering her eight-year-old cousin as the younger girl slept. A relative said they had been arguing over an iPhone.
Here are the signs you're ready to downsize your home
Amid the cost-of-living crisis, many Canadians are looking to find ways to save money, such as downsizing their home. But one Ottawa broker says there are several signs to consider before making the big decision.