'It's almost humanly impossible': Canadians react to Habs goalie Carey Price views on gun control, L'École Polytechnique massacre
Habs goalie Carey Price says he knows about the 1989 Polytechnique massacre, despite his team stating he didn’t after he’d expressed his support for a gun lobby group on social media, days before the anniversary of the tragic event.
The controversy started last Saturday, when Price took to Instagram to share a photo of him holding a rifle, as a way to criticize Bill C-21. If passed, the bill would make it harder to legally access handguns, as well as clarify the definition of prohibited assault-style firearms.
"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."
The Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights (CCFR) recently came under fire for using the promo code “POLY” to offer customers a discount on items from its online shop.
The Polytechnique massacre led to the murders of 14 female engineering students who were shot at their Montreal college by a gunman with an anti-feminist agenda.
After Price’s post was strongly criticized online, the Habs apologized for it.
France Margaret Bélanger, the president of Groupe CH, the company that owns the Montreal Canadiens hockey team, told Radio-Canada that Price wasn’t aware of the massacre’s upcoming anniversary, nor the CCFR’s promo code.
On Tuesday, Price again took to Instagram to stress that he was aware of this dark moment in Canadian history, and that he would never intentionally cause pain to those impacted by gun violence.
“Despite a previous statement released, I did in fact know about the tragedy,” he wrote in his Stories. “I have been a member of the MTL community for 15 years and I understand the weight this holds within the community.”
He went on to say that he stood by his opinion he shared about Bill-21 but acknowledged that by amplifying conversation around guns this week, he apologizes to those most impacted by the event who he might have upset.
Online, many people expressed disbelief on the Habs' original statement, if Price could not have known about the massacre, or why he would support the CCFR.
/ Reinforcing the point some made yesterday: it’s almost humanly impossible to live in Montreal for 18 years and not be aware of the December 6 massacre.
Now I’m curious how that botched statement from the team came out.— Alexander Panetta (@Alex_Panetta) December 6, 2022
If anyone believes the Carey Price situation has been blown out of proportion, they should point the finger at him. He posed with a gun that’s not being banned, calling the nonexistent banning of it unjust. He blew it out of proportion to support a shitty gun nut organization.
— Asif Hossain (@asifintoronto) December 6, 2022
There’s nothing wrong with athletes having political views, but they have to also take the critique. Carey Price put something out that’s factually wrong, and in support of an org that mocked a mass shooting for profit. Price is being critiqued on the merits of what he put out.
— Asif Hossain (@asifintoronto) December 6, 2022
I would have to scan the arcane NHL buyout rules - but if it's at all possible, the Canadiens need to cut all ties with Carey Price.
Permanently.— Jack Todd (@jacktodd46) December 6, 2022
I'm not picking on Joel Edmundson or Carey Price here since you could get this quote from A LOT of pro athletes, but anyone saying "none of us are really aware of what happened 30 years ago" is such a damning indictment of society right now
— Elena Pagliarello (@epagliarello) December 6, 2022
Carey Price @CP0031 can't back paddle on this. The timing of his comments is not only insensitive but disrespectful to Canadians and Women and Girls around the world. https://t.co/YfEOWQiIKn
— Bryan (@bacoprah) December 6, 2022
The biggest thing that has been lost in this Carey Price shit show is the fact that players who play in Montreal have no idea about Ecole Polytechnique. How is that possible? How are the Canadiens not having a moment of remembrance each and every year? #MTL
— Glenn Danziggy Stardust (@reuben_copley) December 6, 2022
Others felt people were going too hard on Price.
Carey Price is measured, well-spoken, and for the most part has a very sensible opinion on gun ownership. I think we need to stop blowing things way out of proportion. This level of criticism is completely unwarranted.
— CareyForever (@LoveSportsPlus) December 6, 2022
I'm one of the first people to call out Conservative nut jobs with inhumane views, who latch on to this for political gain. Carey is not that person. They're twisting his words and using him so don't equate the two.
— CareyForever (@LoveSportsPlus) December 6, 2022
I support gun control and stand with Justin Trudeau’s Bill C-21. However, Carey Price is receiving more scrutiny than the actual mass shooters and aggressors of gun violence. I don’t agree with what he said, but we should be steering the conversation to the real topic at hand.
— habslut (@habsluut) December 6, 2022
PolySeSouvient, a gun control group that was formed after the Polytechnique massacre, also took to Twitter to emphasize that Price’s initial comments were fuelled by disinformation.
La #désinformation du #LobbyProArmes sur l'amendement au #C21 (repris aveuglément par certains médias) a dupé héros🇨🇦 et chasseur Carey Price @CP0031 qui croit à tort que ce dernier cible les fusils et carabines de chasse https://t.co/s8gJlMLZPJ @LilaDussault
— PolySeSouvient / PolyRemembers (@Polysesouvient) December 4, 2022