Parliamentary Committee Notes: Speaking Notes
Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security: Bill C-21 3rd Reading
March 28th, 2023
Ottawa, ON
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Honourable Chair, Vice Chairs, Committee members:
Thank you for the invitation to be here.
I'm joined today by (TBC).
We've reached an important juncture in our discussions on this Bill.
And we're much closer to reaching common ground on making our communities safe and strengthening our firearms laws.
Bill C-21 is part of our Government's comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.
Bill C-21 seeks to prevent firearm-related deaths in cases of family violence and self-harm; increase criminal penalties to target those that smuggle and traffic firearms; make it an offence to alter a gun magazine; enable sharing of certain firearms registration information with law enforcement across Canada; and prevent illegal ammunition from entering our country.
And when we tabled the Bill, we noted our intention to move forward to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms.
We proposed amendments to accomplish this in November 2022.
However, as we all know, these now withdrawn amendments have generated significant debate and legitimate concerns in our society about the need for more consultation and debate.
We have heard Canadians and understand their concerns that some firearms commonly used today for hunting may have been affected by these withdrawn amendments.
Withdrawing amendments G4 and G46 created an opportunity to consult with stakeholders on the best way to move forward.
We are currently engaging with a variety of stakeholders, including Indigenous organizations and the firearms community, on Bill C-21.
And planning is underway to further engage Canadians on the best way forward for protecting public safety interests.
I've also been following the Committee's review of the Bill and the testimony of witnesses closely.
We all seem to agree that there are some important aspects of the Bill that deserve to be debated.
At this point, we've heard from members representing constituents across Canada.
We've heard loud and clear that safety must be balanced with respect for hunters and law-abiding gun owners.
We will continue the important work to prevent the types mass shootings that we have experienced over the past three decades.
We've heard about the need to maintain trust and confidence in the Government, and the continued importance of engagement and consultation, including with the Indigenous Peoples and other members of the firearms community, such as hunters and sport shooters.
We've heard that the language of the withdrawn amendments should have been simpler, more precise, and clearer about the intention of prohibiting assault-style firearms that are a risk to public safety and not suitable for civilian use.
We've heard about exemptions for Indigenous sustenance hunters to continue using assault style firearms for those purposes.
We've heard about the role that firearms play in intimate partner violence, gender based violence, and family violence.
We've heard about the importance of addressing untraceable ghost guns, which was an issue identified in the committee's report last year and had formed part of the withdrawn amendment G4.
We also know all too well that, as we continue these conversations, gun violence continues throughout our communities here in Canada.
We've seen far too many tragedies, including those recently in Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec.
We've seen close to 16,000 incidents of violent crime involving firearms in Canada, since 2010.
We've been clear that firearms designed for war – capable of rapid reloading and discharge that can inflict catastrophic harm – have no place in our communities.
And we've been clear that we fully respect and recognize the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities.
Our Government recognizes the importance of consultation and cooperation with Indigenous peoples to ensure consistency of federal laws with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
We continue to examine the potential effects of the recently withdrawn amendments on First Nations, Métis and Inuit, and will continue to consult and cooperate to ensure that the Bill's measures and amendments are consistent with the UN Declaration.
The views expressed throughout the ongoing consultation and cooperation with Indigenous groups are very important for us to understand the potential impacts of the concepts introduced by the recently withdrawn amendments on Indigenous rights, and to identify intersections with the rights in the UN Declaration.
We are determined to reduce the public safety risks posed by assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use.
It's our goal to keep Canadians safe.
And I'm confident that Bill C-21 will get that balance right.
Thank you all, once again, for your continued deliberation.
I look forward to your questions.
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