latest response I received from local MP
Thank you for your many e-mails regarding the government’s proposed Bill C-71. It’s first important to note that this legislation is one piece of a larger effort to promote firearms safety while trying to strike a balance for the sake of law-abiding Canadian firearms owners.
We all appreciate that Canada is one of the safest countries in the world. However, we are still seeing an increase in gun crimes, which are taking too many lives from our communities. 2016 alone saw 223 firearms-related homicides in Canada, a 23 percent increase from the year before.
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 intended to be 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 firearms owners and businesses.
First, I want to be clear that this bill does not re-create a federal long-gun registry. We are not bringing it back, and we will never bring it back. What the bill does propose is to require firearms retailers to maintain a record of firearms sales, something that is already a common practice throughout the industry. The information would not be shared with the government, but would be accessible to law enforcement in cases where there are reasonable grounds to do so, and judicial authorization as required.
With respect to license validations, the proposed approach would require the buyer’s license to be verified at the time of sale for all firearms purchases. For private sales between individuals, the seller would simply be required to verify that the buyer’s license is valid, but would not be required to maintain any record following the transaction. No information about any non-restricted firearms being purchased is sought or recorded.
Importantly, we are also proposing to enhance background checks on those seeking to acquire firearms. Currently, only the previous five years may be taken into account when applying for a firearms license. We are proposing to take into account an individual’s full life history, including any history of mental illness associated with violence, or a history of violent offences. We are only proposing changes to the timeline taken into account, and are not otherwise changing the criteria or parameters that are considered.
Bill C-71 also proposes some changes to the cases in which an authorization to transport (ATT) will be required in order to transport restricted or prohibited firearms. Under our proposed rules, an ATT will not be required for transportation of these firearms between the owner’s residence and an approved shooting range, or between the retailer and the owner’s home directly following the purchase of a firearm. This accounts for over 90 percent of all travel with restricted and prohibited weapons. The process for acquiring an ATT will be simple, there will be no fee, and they will be available electronically. For firearms such as shotguns and hunting rifles, the rules will not change.
Lastly, the bill proposes to ensure the impartial, professional, accurate and consistent classification of firearms by restoring the system in which Parliament defines the classes of firearms and their parameters, and experts in the RCMP make the technical determination about the class into which a particular firearm falls. This will keep technical decisions on firearm classification free from political influence.
I would appreciate your reaction to the above background information. Bill C 71 will now be closely reviewed by the all-party Standing Committee, so this is the best time to offer concerns and recommendations for changes. I will be forwarding all such input to Minister Goodale and to my colleagues on the Standing Committee.
I appreciate your time in following up on this issue.
Sincerely,
Ken Hardie
MP Fleetwood-Port Kells
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Originally Posted by Vitus
