Recently MP Bob Zimmer put forward a petition to reclassify the AR-15 from its current “restricted” classification to “non-restricted”.  In the wake of the mainstream media frenzy over the AR-15 in the aftermath of the Orlando shooting MP Bob Zimmer is taking a lot of heat for his position on this particular firearm.

The media’s hate-on for the AR-15 and their insistence this firearm is the “weapon of choice” for mass murderers (except for the pesky little fact that it is not) means anyone saying anything positive about this firearm is obviously a mass killer in waiting.  Except… oh yeah, they are not.

Canadian Shooting Sports Executive Director Tony Bernardo, in an interview with TheRebel’s Brian Lilley, makes an interesting and valid point.

“The AR-15 is a restricted firearm (in Canada) because someone put it on a list.  If it was a brand new gun coming into Canada today it would be a non-restricted firearm because it doesn’t meet the mechanical characteristics of a restricted gun.”

That’s an excellent point.

Canada currently has a lot of firearms that “look scary” because they are black with fancy stocks and rail systems that are classified as non-restricted firearms. The JR Carbine and the Tavor TAR-21 are just two examples of those “scary” black rifles that are non-restricted in Canada for the very same reason the AR-15 should be reclassified as a non-restricted firearm.

“When C-68 (the Firearms Act) was enacted in Canada it set into stone mechanical criteria for determining what the classification of a firearm is and the way it looks is not one of those mechanical criteria.  What happens with the AR-15 is it’s a standard 5-shot semi-automatic firearm with a 20-inch barrel and those characteristics make this firearm non-restricted.  It’s that simple.”

Cosmetics and appearance do not determine the classification of a firearm.  It’s mechanical guts determine that, a point the mainstream media currently crucifying MP Bob Zimmer over his AR-15 petition cannot comprehend. Well, they can comprehend it… they simply choose not to because it doesn’t fit into their predetermined anti-gun narrative.

CSSA Executive Director Tony Bernardo does an excellent job of explaining all this to Brian Lilley in the interview below.  I highly encourage anyone interested in the facts to view the interview in its entirety.