Originally Posted by
Ews1982
So I got an email back from my local MP
Here it is:
Dear Eric,
I have taken note that you have written in to me on a few occasions and would like to respond to your emails on this topic here within.
I thank you for reaching out regarding Bill C-71: An Act to amend certain Acts and Regulations in relation to firearms. I appreciate that constituents such as yourself are passionate about this subject and I want to assure that my door remains open. Engaging with constituents on issues of importance to them is a vital part of my job.
I also want to assure you that our Government is committed to taking concrete steps to make our communities safer, while treating law-abiding firearms owners in a fair and reasonable manner. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight important aspects of Bill C-71 as well as provide clarity regarding misconceptions pertaining to the legislation.
While Canada is one of the safest countries in the world, increased gun crime has caused too much violence and taken too many lives in our communities. Over the past three years Canada has seen a surge in gun violence. In 2016 there were 223 firearms-related homicides in Canada, 44 more than the year before. That represents a 23% increase, and the highest rate since 2005. In 2016, shootings were the most common method of committing murder in this country.
To combat this growing problem, we are providing $327 million over five years — and $100 million per year after that — in new funding for initiatives to reduce criminal gang activities and associated gun crimes. Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Ralph Goodale, also recently convened a National Summit on Guns and Gangs to hear from provinces and territories, municipalities, police, border officials, and community groups who are at the forefront of efforts to fight against violence, particularly domestic violence.
To complement this work, our government is proposing a series of measures that represent a reasonable, practical, common-sense approach to firearms policy that will help make our communities less vulnerable to violence from firearms. We consulted widely before drafting Bill C-71, and as a result, we are putting forward a bill that will enhance public safety while maintaining a fair and manageable framework for law-abiding firearms owners and businesses.
We are deeply committed in keeping our promise to Canadians and are doing so by means of Bill C-71. With Bill C-71, we are proposing a series of measures, each directly linked to enhancing public safety that will help to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and help police trace firearms used in the commission of crimes.
I would like to emphasize the fact that this legislation does not re-create a federal long gun registry. Instead, the new legislation proposes to, among other things:
· Enhance background checks on those seeking to acquire firearms – looking at the full life history of a person, including any history of mental illness associated with violence, not just over the last five years.
· Require that whenever a non-restricted firearm is transferred, the buyer must actually produce his/her licence, and the vendor must verify that it is valid.
· Ensure the impartial, professional, accurate and consistent classification of firearms by restoring a system in which Parliament defines the classes and then experts in the RCMP make the technical determination about the class into which a particular firearm falls into, without political influence.
· Except between a residence and an approved shooting range, require specific transportation authorizations to be obtained whenever restricted and prohibited guns (mostly handguns and assault weapons) are moved through the community.
· Standardize record-keeping of sales by firearms retailers, already a common “best-practice” in the industry. This information would only be accessible to police through obtaining a warrant.
In addition to Bill C-71, our government has also focused on other efforts regarding firearms that work towards making our communities safer. Some of these efforts include creating a more balanced and representative Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee and withdrawing from manufacturers/importers the authority to determine in certain circumstances their own firearms classification.
I had the opportunity to speak to Bill C-71 in the House of Commons and emphasized the importance of depoliticizing the firearms classification process. Police and experts should be the ones responsible for classifying firearms, not politicians.
The changes regarding the reclassification of CZ 858 and Swiss Arms rifles as prohibited will be grandfathered in. This means that individuals who own these rifles as of June 30, 2018 will be provided a three-year amnesty period in order to come into compliance with grandfathering requirements.
During the amnesty period, owners will be authorized to possess but not use their firearms until licensing and registration requirements are met.
Another concern I raised in my remarks on Bill C-71 was the complexity of this issue and the reality that guns are often acquired through break-ins or smuggling across the border. They can also be acquired through illegal sales by licenced owners. These issues require our attention, and through stronger background checks, we will better combat issues of illegal firearms acquisition and use.
Bill C-71 contributes to a multi-faceted approach that will target the scourge of gun and gang violence in our communities while treating law-abiding firearms owners in a fair and reasonable manner.
Thank you again for reaching out about this important issue. I hope I was able to provide clarity on this new legislation. I would like to reiterate that my door remains open and welcome the opportunity to meet with constituents on this issue. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
John Aldag, MP
Cloverdale—Langley City
THATS THE PROBLEM WITH POLITICS REGARDLESS OF WHO WINS I KEEP GETTING SCREWED
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