Parliamentary Committee Notes: Speaking Notes for the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Emergency Preparedness

Good morning/afternoon, everyone.

I’d first like to acknowledge I’m speaking to you from the traditional territory of

Mr. Chair, colleagues, thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today.

On April 18 and 19, 2020, an unthinkable tragedy unfolded in Nova Scotia.

All Canadians were shaken by these horrific deaths and mourned alongside the people of Nova Scotia.

I want to reiterate my support and condolences for those who lost their loved ones.

The ongoing, independent Mass Casualty Commission has raised and reopened many painful, but important, questions about how this occurred and how future tragedies can be prevented.

As the Commission examines the terrible events of April 2020, I remain steadfastly committed to supporting the independence of law enforcement, and the strict separation of policing and political concerns.

We are all looking forward to the inquiry’s fact-based findings.

What I want to emphasize today is this:

During the years I had the honour of serving as Minister of Border and Organized Crime and then Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, one of my priorities was addressing gun violence in Canada.

I was proud to work to fulfil my mandate letter from the Prime Minister, which directed me to keep our communities safe and implement Canada’s firearms policy commitments, including to ban all assault-style firearms.

In fact, taking bold action on firearms and keeping Canadians safe have always been priorities for this government.

But events like the Portapique shootings and other high-profile incidents tell us we need to take even stronger action to combat gun violence.

That is why on May 1, 2020, we were proud to amend the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited, Restricted or Non-Restricted via Order in Council.

This OiC prohibited over 1,500 models of assault-style firearms and their variants.

The OiC also stipulated maximum thresholds for muzzle energy and bore diameter, effectively prohibiting firearms exceeding those criteria.

And it banned certain components, including the upper receivers of M16, AR-10, AR-15, and M4 pattern firearms.

Firearms affected by this OiC cannot be legally used, sold, or imported into Canada, unless authorized under the Amnesty Order, which is in effect until October 30, 2023.

The Amnesty Order was put in place to allow owners who, at the time the prohibition came into force, were in lawful possession of a newly prohibited firearm, to take reasonable steps to come into compliance with the law and to protect them from criminal liability.

Unfortunately, the shootings in Portapique were not the first to involve assault-style firearms.

These weapons were used in other high-profile mass shootings, including but not limited to École Polytechnique, Dawson College, and the Quebec City mosque—senseless tragedies that targeted women, students, and worshipers.

It is clear that these dangerous firearms are designed for the battlefield.

They have no legitimate place in our communities—not for hunting, sport shooting, or any other reasonable purpose.

The OiC of May 1st, 2020, was the result of many years of hard work on the part of our government as well as public servants, and was developed based on public consultations open to all Canadians.

These measures were, and continue to be, an incredibly important building block alongside other key measures combating gun violence.

They also help to address related issues like gender-based violence.

During my tenure as Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, on July 7, 2021, we also expanded background checks and enhanced screening.

This means that a history of violence, harassment, or restraining orders over an applicant’s entire lifetime are now factors in determining their eligibility for a firearms licence.

We also reinstated the requirement for a separate Authorization to Transport for restricted and prohibited firearms.

And we continued to invest in provinces and territories through the Initiative to Take Action against Gun and Gang Violence, a multi-pronged approach to tackle gun and gang activity in Canada.

Combating gun violence is a complex, continual process.

We know that no single measure will end it.

But we have also long known that the more generally available firearms are in our communities, the higher the risk of gun violence against our families, friends, and loved ones.

And those are not only unacceptable risks, but unnecessary ones.

There is no legitimate use for assault-style firearms outside the battlefield, and no reason to place people in Canada at risk of injury or death by these weapons.

I’ll reiterate: As Minister of Public Safety—and indeed now as Minister of Emergency Preparedness—my priority was the safety of the people in this country.

Nothing is more important.

Mr. Chair, I assure you and all Canadians that this has always been, and will continue to be, my North Star.

Thank you. I’ll look forward to taking the Committee’s questions.

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