I had a conversation with someone from one of the national organizations. He thinks the Liberals simply won't be able to enact any of their two main promises on either AR-15 confiscation or on municipal handgun bans. Neither of them pass the smell test on execution. He didn't believe Order in Council would be able to deem the AR-15 prohibited or change the classifications. The AR-15 is defined in legislation so according to him they can only be redefined by legislation. Similarly, legislation would be needed to redefine semi-auto rifles as an entire class.

Even should the Liberals feel the required legislation is achievable, they are receiving a lot of push back from the bureaucrats on all levels who would have to figure out how to do a New Zealand style buyback or confiscation. The numbers don't work for the resources needed to make sure all the guns are collected and owners - with their varying levels of cooperation - are accounted for. There isn't the budget or manpower to do so, not when there are so many other strains testing the RCMP and the provincial police forces.

On the municipal level, the mayors who are in favour of a ban are just cheerleading. They definitely do not want the burden of directing their already overstretched police to go knocking on doors even if it was legal for cities to do so. Meanwhile many mayors came out against the ban or are against cities being responsible for it even if they are anti- handgun themselves. They would want to pass the buck, which means little would get done.

Which is not to say that owner resistance is not helping convince those who are pushing back that it is a terrible idea. Our efforts are helping those in the middle realize the foolishness of the Liberal's promises.

The Liberals for face saving may enact some incremental regulatory change such as with C-71.