Parliamentary Committee Notes: Speaking Notes for The Honourable Marco Mendicino Minister of Public Safety : Appearance Before the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security
October 4, 2022
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Word Count: 777 (5.5 mins)
Good afternoon.
Mr. Chair, honourable members of the committee and colleagues, I’m pleased to be invited to speak with you today about Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms).
Before I begin, I’d like to acknowledge the tragedy in James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon, Saskatchewan.
My heart goes out to the family and friends of those communities, and I know you all join me in sharing their grief during such a difficult time.
I understand your committee invited myself and deputies to come back and discuss this situation.
You can count on my full collaboration to understand the circumstances of this horrible incident.
[PAUSE]
Colleagues, two years ago, our government banned over 1,500 models of assault-style weapons and last year we expanded background checks to keep firearms out of the wrong hands.
It was the responsible course of action.
And now, as we see gun violence continue to rise, it is our duty to keep taking action.
That’s why we introduced Bill C-21 this past spring.
And as you know, this legislation is nothing short of historic.
It introduces a national freeze on handguns—meaning the vast majority of individuals will no longer be able to transfer—that is, buy and sell—or import them into Canada.
In turn, this will end the growth of handguns in Canada.
This legislation also contains provisions to tackle organized crime head-on, introducing stiffer sentences for trafficking guns and new charges for altering the magazine or cartridge of a gun to exceed its lawful capacity.
It sets out new wiretapping authorities for police to stop gun crime before it happens.
This bill is also significant in how it addresses the role of guns in gender-based violence—a pernicious issue we simply cannot ignore.
Individuals with a restraining order against them, whether previous or current, will no longer be able to obtain a firearms licence.
And new “red flag” laws will allow courts to order the immediate removal of firearms from individuals who may be a danger to themselves or anyone else.
Additionally, “yellow flag” laws will allow Chief Firearms Officers to suspend an individual’s firearms licence if the CFO receives information calling into question their licence eligibility.
Let me be clear: there is no obligation for survivors to use these laws.
And measures will be taken to protect the identity of vulnerable persons who provide information to the courts.
That’s because the unwavering goal of this groundbreaking legislation is to protect Canadians—particularly those who are most at risk, including women.
Statistics show that victims of intimate partner violence are about five times more likely to be killed if a firearm is present in the home.
Mr. Chair, I’d like to share a few more important statistics with my colleagues.
We know that the more available guns are, the higher the risks of homicides and suicides.
Handguns are the most commonly used firearm in homicides.
Suicide by firearm accounted for 75% of all firearms deaths in Canada between 2008 and 2018.
Fifty-eight percent of crime guns are traced to domestic sources that are predominantly from straw purchasing and theft.
Making handguns unavailable for transfer, and restricting their importation, just makes sense.
It will prevent handguns from falling into the wrong hands.
Reducing the number of guns in our communities means reducing the number of victims of gun violence.
But, Mr. Chair, as we have said from the beginning, we are not targeting responsible handgun owners or those using firearms for purposes like hunting or sport shooting.
This is about tackling violent crime and preventing senseless, tragic deaths.
Mr. Chair, we know that no single initiative will end the complex issue of gun violence.
This bill is but one part of our comprehensive approach.
For example, earlier this year I introduced the $250‑million Building Safer Communities Fund to support municipalities and Indigenous communities and fund anti-gang programming.
This builds on the $358.8 million under the 2018 Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence for provinces and territories and a $312-million investment over five years to enhance Canada’s firearm control framework to identify and prevent firearms from entering the illicit market.
This legislation and the complementary measures we have taken are complex, yes—but they are also common sense.
They are based on evidence and designed following extensive consultations with advocacy groups and stakeholders.
The bottom line, as we all know, is that even one person lost to gun violence is too many.
We must act swiftly and decisively to end it.
And Bill C-21 is a significant stride forward in doing so.
Thank you. I look forward to answering your questions.
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