Steven Blaney

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

Mr. Speaker, it looks like it is April Fool's Day. I can tell by the member's question.

Some people take the issue of counterterrorism and anti-terrorism measures very seriously. That is why the public safety and national security committee heard more than 40 witnesses, most of whom were in support of this important legislation.

Let me get back to the core of the reason we are now debating this, which is the importance of increasing safety and security while streamlining the process for law-abiding gun owners. There are many. There are many in Bellechasse, in my riding, which means “nice hunting”.

There are also hunters and fishermen in Yorkton—Melville and in Prince George—Peace River, where those members have dedicated a lot of their work and their careers to making sure that those who want to possess a firearm do it in a safe manner. They are not ostracized because they enjoy outdoor activities. They enjoy one of the founding activities of this country. It is about—

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

Mr. Speaker, I have the utmost respect for the parliamentary process.

We already know the position of the parties. This bill is about a safe and sensible firearms policy. That is what this bill is all about. It includes measures that will increase the safety of our country, such as mandatory training for anyone who wants to acquire or possess a firearm. That is the kind of measure that is in the bill.

It is important that we have a thorough review of the bill, clause by clause, and that we listen to witnesses. In our parliamentary process, that is not done in this House. We need to send this bill to committee, where all parties will be represented, where there can be discussions, where they can look at the bill in depth, and frankly speaking, where there is sometimes a less partisan environment than there is here in this House of Commons. These are good reasons.

While we already know that the Liberals and NDP members oppose common-sense firearms licensing, we should move this bill into committee. I am ready to respond to any questions.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from British Columbia for his question.

I will go straight to the crux of the matter. During the debate we just had, my colleague spoke about the importance of time management for parliamentary work. I would humbly reply to my colleague that we already know the position of the main political parties on the common sense firearms licensing act.

Therefore, we must now move to the next step, the in-depth study of the bill by a committee of parliamentarians. They will have the opportunity to call all the witnesses they want and proceed with the vote at first reading in order to thoroughly study this bill, while taking into account the reality that there are only a few weeks left in the session.

Thus, we must strike a balance between the opportunity for all parties to have their say and the opportunity to study the bill more thoroughly in committee.

[Public Safety, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I am very grateful to the members of the Conservative government, who have made it possible to triple the capital budget of the Canada Border Services Agency since 2006. They are doing a great job. Yesterday, six more people were added to the CBSA's wanted list. As we know, the government increased the number of border officers by nearly 26%.

When will the New Democrats support the measures that we are implementing to keep our borders secure?

[Public Safety, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, obviously, our government is committed to protecting our borders. We are proud of the work the Canada Border Services Agency is doing and we are proud of having increased the number of border officers by 26%. We also have an arming program for these officers.

With regard to facilities, despite the NDP's lack of support, we not only doubled but tripled the capital budget and we will continue to ensure that the agency has the resources it needs to keep our borders secure.

[Public Safety, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the president of the Council for Muslims Facing Tomorrow gets that we need legislation that is important to combat radicalization, that we need better tools to track jihadists who travel overseas, but we also have robust oversight in this country. The Supreme Court said that our review body is a model of the Canadian legal system striking a better balance between the protection of sensitive information and the procedural rights of individuals. We have a great model, and I thank the member for reviewing the bill and getting it to third reading.

[Public Safety, April 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, what is dramatic and pathetic is to watch the NDP, day after day, week after week, month after month, oppose all the measures that our government puts in place to fight terrorism, which is the main threat to national security.

We are working with our allies—the Americans, the French and the British. As you know, we also have a surveillance organization that is the envy of the world. The Supreme Court recognizes its ability to strike a balance between rights and privacy. Furthermore, its director acknowledges that it has the necessary resources. We will continue to provide our support.

[Public Safety, March 31st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, if my colleague and her party would set ideology aside, they would support the measures that our government brought in eight years ago. We implemented minimum sentences of three to five years for people who are found in illegal possession of a firearm. We also implemented measures to ensure that harsher sentences are imposed on people who commit violent crimes using a firearm. In the House, we passed measures regarding mandatory training and against domestic violence. The member should stand up here in Ottawa and defend the safety of our country.

[Public Safety, March 31st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to reassure my colleague and tell her that we are going to abide by the Supreme Court's decision. We believe that enough of Quebec taxpayers' money has been wasted on this ineffective and costly firearms registry, which is a bottomless money pit.

We share the point of view of the Fédération québécoise des chasseurs et pêcheurs, which believes that a Quebec registry, like the defunct Canadian registry, would be useless and would not help keep Quebeckers or police officers safe.

[Public Safety, March 31st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, that would be a huge mistake at a time when Canada is facing an international jihadist threat. There have been terrorist attacks in Paris, in Sydney, Australia, and in Copenhagen. A terrorist attack even occurred here in this Parliament, and the New Democrats want us to stand idly by and allow terrorists to take advantage of loopholes in our system. That is despicable.

I would like to reassure the public. We are going to protect Canadians and their rights. We are being threatened by terrorists and we are going to take concrete action against them.