Steven Blaney

[Common Sense Firearms Licensing Act, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the member's remarks are completely inconsistent, since the NRA, which according to her will raise money with this bill, opposes the bill.

This bill aims to simplify the registration scheme and introduces measures to enhance public safety.

How can the member oppose mandatory training, removing licences from people who have been convicted of domestic violence, and tightening restrictions on importing firearms? Is she prepared to enhance public safety, have an effective system and, as she put it so well, correct the mistakes made with the hunters who were victims of the events of the 1990s?

She has a chance to take action and support the bill. I would like to hear what she has to say about that.

[Common Sense Firearms Licensing Act, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, it must still be April Fool's Day.

Absolutely not. On the contrary, members have the opportunity to support a bill at second reading and refer it to committee for a detailed study. The measures in this bill will ensure that a person convicted of domestic violence is no longer authorized to possess or acquire a firearm, and it also introduces mandatory training.

We are interested in working with the opposition parties and all of Canadian society to develop a safe firearms registry system that enhances safety while simplifying the lives of law-abiding individuals and supporting an industry that we can be proud of and that is closely linked to our heritage of hunting, fishing and sport shooting.

[Common Sense Firearms Licensing Act, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, committees are masters of their own destiny. They listen to who they want to listen to, members and witnesses are invited, some agree and some do not agree. It is up to each committee.

I can tell the House that I have been speaking to many Canadians and organizations across the country and they certainly welcome the measures. Once again, I am really proud of this mandatory training for everyone. This is a great improvement. I am sure the member will appreciate this and other measures, such as domestic violence, a measure I have not had time to speak to today.

This is about making sure that when firearms are imported into this country, we will make it mandatory for the RCMP to exchange information with the CBSA so there are no gaps that could be exploited by criminals. They are strong measures to strengthen our licensing regime and to streamline the process for law-abiding citizens.

[Common Sense Firearms Licensing Act, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, we have been hearing about a regime that was put in place many decades ago and needs improvement. I put to the House that this bill is bringing common sense into a regime that has included a lot of paperwork for law-abiding citizens and that has been adding weaknesses in terms of the safety of communities and the urban communities the member was referring to.

Once again, I put it to the House that by adding mandatory training for anyone who is willing to possess or acquire a firearm in Canada, we are strengthening our Canadian way of dealing with firearms. I would also say that if someone has been convicted of domestic violence, the individual should not have the capacity to possess a firearm. This measure in the bill, along with others, are to streamline the process and treat those who abide by the law with respect.

Indeed, we have nothing to hide. We are proud the bill is up for debate. Let us get it through committee so we can review this bill with the witnesses–—

[Common Sense Firearms Licensing Act, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for speaking, and the member would certainly agree with me that if all 307 members spoke to every bill at every step in the passage of a bill, we might not accomplish the objectives that the people who put us here expect. They expect us to deliver results, and that is why we are working with parties and sharing ideas.

The measures in the bill are shared by the members of this government. Common sense firearms licensing is a measure that would streamline the process for law-abiding citizens and increase security through mandatory training and through removal of the licence from people recognized as being involved in domestic violence.

Yes, this is democracy at work, and we are being given the opportunity to vote on the bill and send it to committee for a thorough review. I expect members will do their jobs seriously and review the bill on its merits and not on urban legend—

[Common Sense Firearms Licensing Act, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, they are, absolutely. The last time I entertained a discussion with the member for Toronto—Danforth was actually at the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, where we were discussing the important legislation this government is putting forward on counterterrorism. We had more than 40 witnesses. There were witnesses from the Conservative Party and also from the opposition Liberals and the NDP. I want to thank the member, who has spent hours on the bill. Last night at 10 o'clock, the committee was still reviewing the bill after hearing many witnesses, who brought many interesting comments. For me, that is clear proof of a committee that has decided to take its job seriously and that has studied the bill for many extended hours. Yes, it is a good example, and now we have a result. The bill has been reviewed by a committee and it is now ready to come back here.

To get back to the common sense firearms licencing act, I expect and I hope that the member will support the bill to be sent at second reading to committee.

[Common Sense Firearms Licensing Act, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I did not hear any questions, but I would certainly point out to the member that she can take full advantage of our parliamentary process and that I am always more than happy to be given an opportunity to talk about the measures we are putting forward for countering terrorism.

Once again I am disappointed to see that the Green Party will not support measures that are reasonable and balanced to protect Canadians. Frankly, I think we can do both. We can protect Canadians and we can also protect their privacy. We can work for the economy and we can also work for sustainable development. I am very proud of having been involved in the environment for 20 years.

However, let me get back to what I wanted to say.

I want to talk about two organizations in Quebec that support effective policies for firearms registration. One of those organizations is the Fédération québécoise des chasseurs et pêcheurs. The other, Québec Outfitters, also spoke out today in favour of those policies. They are calling on us to implement effective measures and to avoid repeating past mistakes, such as the ineffective long gun registry, which cost taxpayers millions of dollars. They are calling on us to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

That is what this bill does. We are fixing these mistakes, we are cutting red tape and we are improving the safety and effectiveness of our country's firearms registry system.

[Common Sense Firearms Licensing Act, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Yorkton—Melville, who has a deep understanding of the way Canadians abide by the law.

This is what we are talking about. We are talking about a bill that intends to streamline the process for law-abiding citizens while improving the safety of Canadians with mechanisms that are not in place at this time. I am a little bit disappointed to see that the opposition member would oppose removal of the licence of an individual who has been convicted of domestic violence.

This is in the bill. There are measures that will increase the safety of our citizens, but the bill would also cut red tape for a large part of the population that for too long has been taken hostage through mechanisms that are actually not safe.

I would like further to comment on some recent decisions that were made in Quebec and the reaction of some organizations.

[Common Sense Firearms Licensing Act, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague knows very well that parliamentarians have a number of opportunities to have their say: at first reading, in committee, at second reading or at third reading. If the committee wishes, it will send the bill back here to the House so that we can continue to debate it. However, it will have already been subject to a detailed study, which has not yet happened.

I simply want to remind my colleague that our public safety and gun control policies work. Since 2008, the number of firearm homicides has gone down by 30%. As of right now, we have reached the lowest rate in more than 50 years.

We want to keep going in this direction and to ensure that our system is even safer. That is why we introduced this bill and why I look forward to meeting with members in committee to explain the merits of this bill.

[Common Sense Firearms Licensing Act, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I invite the hon. member to read the bill. He will see that there are measures in it to increase safety in the use of firearms.

Actually, there are measures in the bill that were promoted by the former leader of the NDP, Jack Layton, such as the merge of the possession-only licence and the possession-and-acquisition licence. Streamlining a regime of two licences into one licence is common sense.

We would require mandatory firearms safety courses for first-time gun owners. They would have to take the course. We would strengthen firearms prohibition for those who are convicted of domestic violence offences. This is an important part of that bill.

There are also measures in the bill to ensure that law-abiding citizens would not be treated like criminals because they had forgotten to fill out a form within a very short time. These are common-sense measures.

Let us send this bill to committee so that members can review it and get a better understanding. I invite the member to read the bill.