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OTTAWA — The federal government’s long-promised mandatory gun “buyback” will be rolling out in stages after the Liberal government announced it was adding hundreds more models to the prohibited firearms list just before the program was scheduled to launch. It is a situation one industry spokesman says “makes no sense.” The federal Liberals announced on Thursday they were adding another 324 types of guns to their list of prohibited firearms, which was first announced in May 2020, when they banned some 1,500 makes and models. The total number of restricted models affected is now slightly more than 14,500, according to Public Safety Canada. A cornerstone of the government’s promise to take the guns from owners has been to provide some compensation to businesses and individuals who had purchased them legally. More than four years after it was officially promised, a spokesman said Friday marked the official opening of the first phase of the buyback program, targeting businesses and dealers who had been left holding inventory of guns that were suddenly declared illegal. They will be contacted by the RCMP and asked to register for the program. However, with the Liberals on Thursday adding hundreds of new models to the list, retailers and distributors with those models will have to wait longer. “Right now, firearms businesses will be invited to submit claims for prohibited firearms that were identified in the 2020 order-in-council,” Mathis Denis, press secretary for Public Services Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, said in a statement. “Firearms that were prohibited on December 5th will be included in early 2025 under the program and businesses will have the ability to submit a claim for these additional firearms.” The RCMP will be managing the process, Denis said. Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association president Wes Winkel says he expects the program to experience “massive delays” because the hundreds of firearms models just added to the list will have to be priced and catalogued. “I think that this is going to put large delays in it. I can’t imagine businesses wanting to do the 2020 prohibition first and then deal with these (newly prohibited models) later,” said Winkel. Compensation amounts for guns to be seized under the May 2020 order were already available, noted Gabriel Brunet, a spokesman for Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc. The dollar figures for this week’s additions are expected to be available in January 2025, he said. When it comes time to expand the program to take firearms from individual gun owners, as the Liberals have promised to do, Brunet said their list “will include all banned guns,” and the owners would receive information in the spring about participating. The government provided an “amnesty” for businesses and gun owners holding the recently banned weapons until October 2025, having previously extended it from spring 2022, as it faced difficulties in setting up the mandatory buyback. Last year, the government tapped Winkel’s association to assist it in developing a compensation structure for retailers. Winkel, who opposes the Liberals’ efforts, said his group largely played a consulting role. He said the compensation being offered by the government for expropriating the firearms will not reflect the costs businesses have been paying to store and insure this stock for more than four years. The way the program is supposed to work is for retailers to submit a list of their prohibited inventory, Winkel said, which he believes businesses want to do all at once, not at different times depending on the date the government declared a specific model as prohibited. “I can’t imagine that they want to deal with the ... initial makes and models from 2020, and then deal with the other 300 and some that they announced (Thursday) on a separate time,’ said Winkel. “That makes no sense to me.” But LeBlanc signalled that more firearms could still be banned in the coming months, including the SKS, a popular hunting rifle, which the minister says an expert committee is studying to determine whether it should be added to the prohibited list. He acknowledged doing so would not be without controversy, given how many Indigenous hunters use them. Nathalie Provost, a survivor of the 1989 École Polytechnique shooting in Montreal, where a gunman targeting women killed 14 women and injured more, applauded the government’s decision to add more firearms to its prohibited list, which it announced on the eve of the 35th anniversary of the shooting on Friday. Ministers also touted the results of a buyback pilot project it ran with four businesses, which resulted in several dozens banned guns being destroyed. Winkel said he believes retailers may try to hold onto some prohibited stock in hopes that the party in government will change before the amnesty runs out in October 25, five days after the deadline for the next federal election. “I believe participation is going to go down dramatically.” Opposition Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has promised to reverse the Liberals’ gun measures and often criticizes the buyback program as a waste of taxpayer money. The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates the Liberal program could cost around $750 million, depending on its design. Teri Bryant, who serves as Alberta’s chief firearms officer, panned the Liberals’ latest announcement as nothing more than “political theatre.” When it comes to the buyback program, she anticipates retailers’ willingness to participate will vary depending on factors, including how much inventory they have, as well as where they are located. In Alberta, “where firearms are a part of our heritage,” she expects many will choose to wait. While she anticipates that getting retailers on board will be less of challenge than asking gun owners themselves to hand over their firearms, Bryant says businesses with just a few prohibited guns in their inventory likely would not want to be seen as co-operating with a federal policy the vast majority of gun owners reject. Many of the retailers themselves are part of the gun-enthusiast community, she said. “They don’t want to be seen, wouldn’t want to be seen, as traitors.” National Post staylor@postmedia.com Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what’s really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here . Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our politics newsletter, First Reading, here .
By TRÂN NGUYỄN SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California, home to some of the largest technology companies in the world, would be the first U.S. state to require mental health warning labels on social media sites if lawmakers pass a bill introduced Monday. The legislation sponsored by state Attorney General Rob Bonta is necessary to bolster safety for children online, supporters say, but industry officials vow to fight the measure and others like it under the First Amendment. Warning labels for social media gained swift bipartisan support from dozens of attorneys general, including Bonta, after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress to establish the requirements earlier this year, saying social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis among young people. “These companies know the harmful impact their products can have on our children, and they refuse to take meaningful steps to make them safer,” Bonta said at a news conference Monday. “Time is up. It’s time we stepped in and demanded change.” State officials haven’t provided details on the bill, but Bonta said the warning labels could pop up once weekly. Up to 95% of youth ages 13 to 17 say they use a social media platform, and more than a third say that they use social media “almost constantly,” according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center. Parents’ concerns prompted Australia to pass the world’s first law banning social media for children under 16 in November. “The promise of social media, although real, has turned into a situation where they’re turning our children’s attention into a commodity,” Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who authored the California bill, said Monday. “The attention economy is using our children and their well-being to make money for these California companies.” Lawmakers instead should focus on online safety education and mental health resources, not warning label bills that are “constitutionally unsound,” said Todd O’Boyle, a vice president of the tech industry policy group Chamber of Progress. “We strongly suspect that the courts will set them aside as compelled speech,” O’Boyle told The Associated Press. Victoria Hinks’ 16-year-old daughter, Alexandra, died by suicide four months ago after being “led down dark rabbit holes” on social media that glamorized eating disorders and self-harm. Hinks said the labels would help protect children from companies that turn a blind eye to the harm caused to children’s mental health when they become addicted to social media platforms. “There’s not a bone in my body that doubts social media played a role in leading her to that final, irreversible decision,” Hinks said. “This could be your story.” Related Articles National News | Biden creates Native American boarding school national monument to mark era of forced assimilation National News | How should the opioid settlements be spent? Those hit hardest often don’t have a say National News | ‘Polarization’ is Merriam-Webster’s 2024 word of the year National News | Supreme Court rejects appeal challenging Hawaii gun licensing requirements under Second Amendment National News | Supreme Court rejects appeal from Boston parents over race bias in elite high school admissions Common Sense Media, a sponsor of the bill, said it plans to lobby for similar proposals in other states. California in the past decade has positioned itself as a leader in regulating and fighting the tech industry to bolster online safety for children. The state was the first in 2022 to bar online platforms from using users’ personal information in ways that could harm children. It was one of the states that sued Meta in 2023 and TikTok in October for deliberately designing addictive features that keep kids hooked on their platforms. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, also signed several bills in September to help curb the effects of social media on children, including one to prohibit social media platforms from knowingly providing addictive feeds to children without parental consent and one to limit or ban students from using smartphones on school campus. Federal lawmakers have held hearings on child online safety and legislation is in the works to force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm. The legislation has the support of X owner Elon Musk and the President-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr . Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding.Officer kills pet dog mistaken for a coyote in Massachusetts town. The owner says it was unnecessary An animal control officer shot and killed a pet dog in a Massachusetts town after mistaking it for a coyote in an incident local police are describing as a sad mix-up. Police in Northbridge, Massachusetts, say the shooting happened on Tuesday after police received a call of a report of a coyote in a residential backyard. Police say the animal control officer went into the woods to look for the coyote and found what they thought was the animal in a threatening position and shot it. The incident happened as communities around Massachusetts and the country have dealt with an uptick in interactions between coyotes and people. Alyssa Nakken, first full-time female coach in MLB history, leaving Giants to join Guardians CLEVELAND (AP) — Alyssa Nakken, the first woman to coach in an MLB game, is leaving the San Francisco Giants to join the Cleveland Guardians. Nakken made history in 2022 when she took over as first-base coach following an ejection. A former college softball star at Sacramento State, Nakken joined the Giants in 2014 and was promoted to a spot on manager Gabe Kapler’s staff in 2020, becoming the majors’ first full-time female coach. Nakken has been hired as an assistant director within player development for the Guardians, who won the AL Central last season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt. Nakken, 34, will work with former Giants coaches Craig Albernaz and Kai Correa. Kendrick Lamar surprises with new album 'GNX' LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kendrick Lamar gave music listeners an early holiday present with a new album. The Grammy winner released his sixth studio album “GNX” on Friday. The 12-track project is the rapper’s first release since 2022’s “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.” Lamar’s new album comes just months after his rap battle with Drake. The rap megastar will headline February's Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans. The 37-year-old has experienced massive success since his debut album “good kid, m.A.A.d city” in 2012. Since then, he’s accumulated 17 Grammy wins and became the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo sent to team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Ancient meets modern as a new subway in Greece showcases archaeological treasures THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, is opening a new subway system, blending ancient archaeological treasures with modern transit technology like driverless trains and platform screen doors. The project, which began in 2003, uncovered over 300,000 artifacts, including a Roman-era thoroughfare and Byzantine relics, many of which are now displayed in its 13 stations. Despite delays caused by preserving these findings, the inaugural line has been completed, with a second line set to open next year. Conor McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has awarded more than $250,000 to a woman who says she was raped by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The jury on Friday awarded Nikita Hand in her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced her to do anything and that Hand fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. McGregor says he will appeal the verdict. At least 19 people are sick in Minnesota from ground beef tied to E. coli recall U.S. health officials say at least 19 people in Minnesota have been sickened by E. coli poisoning tied to a national recall of more than 167,000 pounds of potentially tainted ground beef. Detroit-based Wolverine Packing Co. recalled the meat sent to restaurants nationwide. Minnesota state agriculture officials reported multiple illnesses and found that a sample of the product tested positive for E. coli, which can cause life-threatening infections. No illnesses have been reported outside of Minnesota. Symptoms of E. coli poisoning include fever, vomiting, diarrhea and signs of dehydration. Actor Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend drops assault and defamation lawsuit against once-rising star NEW YORK (AP) — Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend has dropped her assault and defamation lawsuit against the once-rising Hollywood star after reaching a settlement. Lawyers for Majors and Grace Jabbari agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice Thursday. Jabbari is a British dancer who had accused Majors of subjecting her to escalating incidents of physical and verbal abuse during their relationship. Representatives for Majors didn’t respond to emails seeking comment Friday. Jabbari’s lawyer said the suit was “favorably settled” and her client is moving on with “her head held high.” Majors was convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment last December and sentenced to a yearlong counseling program. Hyundai, Kia recall over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix problem that can cause loss of power DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia are recalling over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix a pesky problem that can cause loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. The recalls cover more than 145,000 Hyundai and Genesis vehicles including the 2022 through 2024 Ioniq 5, the 2023 through 2025 Ioniq 6, GV60 and GV70, and the 2023 and 2024 G80. Also included are nearly 63,000 Kia EV 6 vehicles from 2022 through 2024. The affiliated Korean automakers say in government documents that a transistor in a charging control unit can be damaged and stop charging the 12-volt battery. Dealers will inspect and replace the control unit and a fuse if needed. They also will update software. Christmas TV movies are in their Taylor Swift era, with two Swift-inspired films airing this year Two of the new holiday movies coming to TV this season have a Taylor Swift connection that her fans would have no problem decoding. “Christmas in the Spotlight” debuts Saturday on Lifetime. It stars Jessica Lord as the world’s biggest pop star and Laith Wallschleger, playing a pro football player, who meet and fall in love, not unlike Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. On Nov. 30, Hallmark will air “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.” Instead of a nod to Swift, it’s an ode to family traditions and bonding, like rooting for a sports team. Hallmark’s headquarters is also in Kansas City.Is it safe to eat turkey this Thanksgiving amid bird flu outbreak? Here’s what experts say
Errors committed when speaking sometimes, sadly, result in word entanglements that are simply beyond repair. None of us is immune. And, getting out of verbal messes can be as difficult as sticking quills back into the goose. Some folks of national renown are known for their misspoken words, particularly when they open their mouths only to change feet ... — Two great examples were prominent in professional baseball. I reference the late Casey Stengel and Yogi Berra, remembered for countless entangled remarks. They are endless, real morsels to research if you enjoy hearing hilarious verbal foul-ups. One of Berra’s best lines was about a popular restaurant. “Nobody goes there anymore; it’s too crowded.” — Many similar “goofs” are found throughout the world of sports, certainly not limited to baseball. They continue today; a couple are worthy of revisiting, even though one may have been intentional, but probably ill-advised. Only days separated laughs by NFL TV analysts in Dallas and Philadelphia. Perhaps weary of watching the Dallas Cowboys’ meek surrender to the Philadelphia Eagles, veteran sportscaster Jim Nantz said that “the Keystone Cops had taken over.” (Sometimes too much truth is spoken. Remarks like this not only irk fans of the Cowboys, but could ignite team owner Jerry Jones. He might order Nantz to find the nearest exit and take it, or the next train, and be under it.) — A few nights later in Philadelphia, another veteran announcer, Al Michaels, mentioned the crack in the “Liberty Bowl.” Millions of viewers wondered if they heard him correctly, then said it again. There was no mistaking the gaffe. To his credit, a few minutes later he asked, “Did I say ‘Liberty Bowl’? I meant ‘Liberty Bell’.” Apology accepted ... — Some professional athletes are remembered more for what they say than how they perform in games. One baseballer said he could bat from either side of the plate. “I can bat left-handed and I can bat right-handed,” he bragged. “Thank God I’m amphibious.” Another claimed that he has “overcome a lot of diversity.” — Many “goofs,” of course, never make national headlines, but still are enjoyed greatly by locals. Years ago, a young lady from the news department of an Abilene TV station “filled in” for the sports guy. When she tried to report the baseball scores, fans of the game quickly realized that she wasn’t. She said something like, “New York beat Cleveland, four points to three points, Chicago topped Houston, six points to three points, and Philadelphia won over Atlanta, one point to no points.” — I dare not leave out my late friend, Gene Hendryx, longtime owner of Radio Station KVLF in Alpine, TX. One day during a stock market report, he cited prices for ewes. Trouble was, he called ‘em “e-wees.” — During my growing-up years in Brownwood, twins Jimmy and Eddy Farren, best known for “pickin’ and singin’” around the area, owned Radio Station KEAN. Remote broadcasting — then called “telephonic reporting” — had just begun when Jimmy “covered” the dedication of a colorful spraying water fountain at the old traffic circle. His voice sparkled with excitement as he described the first gushes from the fountain. “Folks, if you can possibly do so, come on down here,” he invited. “I’ve just never seen such colorful spewers spewing, and some of the spewers are spewing higher than the other spewers are spewing.” (Okay, so maybe he was a better fiddle player than he was a radio guy.) — I don’t intend to exempt myself from classic blunders. I had a daily sports show on the other radio station KBWD, during college. At the close of each broadcast, I said, “Don Newbury, reminding everyone that if you can’t play a sport, you can be one, and a good one.” One New Year’s eve, I added to the usual closure: “And a happy NEWBURY to one and all.”COLEEN Rooney took a cheeky swipe at her husband Wayne in front of her shocked I'm A Celebrity campmates. The WAG was being quizzed by McFly star Danny Jones on the football legend's new role as a manager. 4 Coleen and Wayne Rooney with their four kids Credit: Instagram 4 Coleen admitted that she gets nervous before Wayne's games as manager Wayne Rooney, 39, took over as the head coach at Plymouth Argyle Football Club in May. Discussing the move on I'm A Celebrity, Danny asked: “Is he loving managing?” Coleen Rooney, 38, responded: “Yeah, he does enjoy it, it’s hard though. I find it more nerve wracking him being a manager than I did... I feel more pressure.” Former boxer Barry McGuigan said of Wayne: “Well, he was very mature very quickly wasn’t he, he grew up very quickly?” READ MORE ON I'M A CELEB proud mum GK Barry's mum arrives in Australia and breaks silence on daughter's sex chats jungle talk Coleen Rooney's parents praise her Wagatha Christie detective skills on IAC Coleen replied: “Well, I don’t know about that!” - leaving the shocked campmates in hysterics. Wayne has admitted to a string of infidelities since they first met as teens in their home city of Liverpool. But despite the ups and downs of their 16-year marriage — and him spending long periods away from home in his new job — she says they remain as strong as ever. She told former Strictly dancer Oti Mabuse in camp: “All he wanted to do was play football. He struggled with the fame side of it, he hated that. Most read in I’m A Celebrity 2024 DADDY'S GIRL I’m A Celeb fans just realising Tulisa is a nepo-baby with famous pop star dad letting loose Ruth Langsford flies to I'm A Celebrity in Australia as bosses sign her up MISSING? Moment Barry McGuigan 'goes missing' after TEN days in the I'm A Celebrity jungle clap back I'm A Celebrity star Dean McCullough's mum slams Ant for being 'too hard' on him “If he could’ve just played football and had none of the fame, I think he would’ve been happier within life. "He’s made mistakes along the way, but from 16, obviously you’re going to, that’s life. Coleen Rooney boasts to I’m A Celeb campmates how husband Wayne often does VERY 'special' gesture But fans were in hysterics at Coleen's candid admission as they took to X - formerly known as Twitter. One wrote: "Coleen explaining how she gets nervous for Wayne’s games as manager.." "Coleen talk about anything other than Wayne challenge," sarcastically noted a second viewer. As a third added: "Wayne hearing Coleen say he didn’t mature quickly," along with a laughing emoji. Coleen Rooney's surprising bad habit COLEEN Rooney has revealed the embarrassing habit hubby Wayne reckons will annoy her I’m A celebrity campmates. She’s usually preened and perfect - but the WAG has confessed she snores. Coleen said: “I didn’t think I snored, but Wayne says I snore. “Not continuously though – just every now and again. “I have been in the public eye for over 20 years now and people take what they want from it. “I do think people will get a better idea of what kind of person I am.” 4 Coleen spoke about Wayne's time as a manager compared to a footballer Credit: ITV 4 Barry and Danny couldn't help but joke about Wayne's maturity Credit: ITV I'm A Celebrity continues on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.
