44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 21, 2024441-02258441-02258 (Justice)ShannonStubbsLakelandConservativeABMarch 21, 2024December 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Trudeau government has attempted to ban and seize the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;
  • The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight crime; and
  • The Trudeau government has failed those who participate in the Canadian traditions of sport-shooting.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to stop any and all current and future bans on hunting and sport-shooting firearms.
FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02026441-02026 (Justice)DamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABJanuary 30, 2024March 18, 2024December 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Trudeau government has attempted to ban and seize the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;
  • The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight crime; and
  • The Trudeau government has failed those who participate in the Canadian traditions of sport-shooting.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to stop any and all current and future bans on hunting and sport-shooting firearms.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighborhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners.A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21, which received Royal Assent on December 15, 2023 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control. The new law includes a new forward-looking technical definition of a prohibited firearm that contains the characteristics of an assault-style firearm.Firearms that match the characteristics and requirements of this new technical definition will be prohibited. That is, a firearm that is not a handgun and that fires centre-fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner, was originally designed with a detachable magazine with a capacity of six cartridges or more, and that is designed and manufactured on or after the day the definition comes into force. As this new definition is forward looking, it applies to firearms that are designed and manufactured on or after December 15, 2023. This ensures that new firearms that exceed safe civilian use are not introduced into our communities. This definition does not apply to firearms that were on the market prior the passage of C-21. No firearms legally owned by Canadians today will be affected.To stop the growth of handgun ownership, which grew from 500,000 in 2010 to more than 1 million in 2020, Bill C-21 codified the handgun freeze in statute. While current handgun owners can continue to use their handguns, Bill C-21 prevents most individuals from transferring or acquiring new handguns, with narrow exemptions, including for sport shooting. Individuals who are training, competing or coaching in a handgun discipline on the programme of the Olympic or Paralympic Committees and who are recognized as such by the national or provincial-territorial sport shooting governing body can continue to acquire or import handguns. Public Safety Canada will conduct consultations regarding the process for these athletes to acquire handguns for their sport and to support the development of regulations related to this exemption.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.The Government has also invested over $1.3B since 2016 to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase firearms tracing capacity and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 15, 2024441-02174441-02174 (Justice)ToddDohertyCariboo—Prince GeorgeConservativeBCFebruary 15, 2024February 5, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Trudeau government has attempted to ban and seize the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;
  • The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight crime; and
  • The Trudeau government has failed those who participate in the Canadian traditions of sport-shooting.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to stop any and all current and future bans on hunting and sport-shooting firearms.
FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 15, 2024441-02173441-02173 (Justice)Hon.EdFastAbbotsfordConservativeBCFebruary 15, 2024February 5, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Trudeau government has attempted to ban and seize the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;
  • The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight crime; and
  • The Trudeau government has failed those who participate in the Canadian traditions of sport-shooting.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to stop any and all current and future bans on hunting and sport-shooting firearms.
FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 15, 2024441-02172441-02172 (Justice)TedFalkProvencherConservativeMBFebruary 15, 2024February 5, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Trudeau government has attempted to ban and seize the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;
  • The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight crime; and
  • The Trudeau government has failed those who participate in the Canadian traditions of sport-shooting.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to stop any and all current and future bans on hunting and sport-shooting firearms.
FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 13, 2024441-02152441-02152 (Justice)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKFebruary 13, 2024February 6, 2024Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • The Government of Canada has announced plans for the mandatory purchase, or confiscation, of legally acquired firearms from law-abiding firearms owners and retailers in Canada;
  • By the Prime Minister's own admission, the confiscation of "assault-style firearms" refers to hunting rifles and shotguns;
  • This program will confiscate firearms from legal firearm owners rather than tackle gun smuggling across the Canada-US border and end a catch-and-release bail system that allows repeat violent offenders back on the streets; and
  • Confiscating the property of law-abiding farmers, hunters, and Indigenous peoples will not reduce violent crime in Canada.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel its plans to confiscate the firearms of law-abiding farmers, hunters, and Indigenous peoples and instead introduce common-sense firearms policies that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals.
Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-02009441-02009 (Justice)BobZimmerPrince George—Peace River—Northern RockiesConservativeBCDecember 14, 2023January 29, 2024February 8, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:This ban unfairly targets Canadian firearms owners, whom are already among the most vetted in Canadian society. Possession and Acquisition License (PAL) and Restricted PAL (RPAL) holders are subject to daily screening and are statistically proven to be less likely to commit crimes than non-PAL & non-RPAL holders;The ban on 'military-style assault rifles' fails to take firearms away from criminals;Public safety is still at risk, even with the current laws of C-21 put into place, crime rates have remained the same if not degraded further;The proposed buyback of legal, licensed firearms could cost the Canadian taxpayer over $1,000,000,000 (Billion). These moneys could be better spent on initiatives that have an appreciable positive impact on public safety such as: deter youth from gangs, addiction treatment, mental health, strengthened border security, increase police anti-gang capacities, & veteran support;This executive order strips law-abiding Canadians, approved through the RCMP Canada Firearms Program, of their legally purchased property;The use of this bill is an egregious overreach of executive authorities. It bypasses the democratic process; andFirearms owners understand that safety is the highest responsibility and above all, the most important duty of being a legal firearm owner.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon Canadian Government to:1. Respect law-abiding Canadians who own firearms;2. Immediately scrap Bill C-71 and introduce legislation that actually targets criminals while protecting Canadians and respecting law-abiding firearms owners; and3. Abandon the idea of a blanket firearms ban on law-abiding and highly vetted Canadians.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Too many Canadians have been affected by senseless acts of gun violence. Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities.To address this, our Government is implementing a comprehensive approach to strengthen firearms control and tackle firearm-related violence across Canada, prioritizing public safety, reducing access to dangerous firearms, strengthening our borders, and supporting effective police work and community programming. To date our Government has:
  • Helped communities divert youth away from gang culture through the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), having invested approximately $565 million in support of 684 crime prevention interventions and over $40 million annually in funding to community organizations to deliver culturally specific interventions that address the root causes of violence among youth and young people;
  • Invested $122.7 million and have supported 47 gang prevention and diversion projects through the Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF);
  • Announced $250 million through the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) which provides direct funding to municipalities and Indigenous communities to strengthen local efforts to counter the social conditions that lead to criminal behaviour;
  • Invested $656.1 million over five years for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to modernize our borders, including enhancing our ability to detect contraband and helping protect the integrity of our border infrastructure;
  • Invested $15 million to enhance our capabilities to trace crime guns. This funding will support the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the development of a new national tracing database; and,
  • Allocated over $700 million under the Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence.
This holistic approach to prevention, including addressing root causes and strengthening police and borders, allows for a more impactful and enduring approach to reducing violence and gun crime within our communities.As part of this approach, on May 1, 2020, the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited, Restricted or Non-Restricted were amended to reclassify, and prohibit, approximately 1,500 models of firearms and their variants. The prohibition limits access to the most dangerous firearms.An Amnesty Order has been put in place to protect impacted owners from criminal liability, and to provide them with time to come into compliance with the law. Those who remain in possession of these firearms at the end of the amnesty period could be subject to criminal liability for unlawful possession.To support compliance with the law, the Government is committed to implementing a Firearms Buyback Program to ensure that these prohibited firearms are safely removed from our communities and that law abiding Canadians are fairly compensated for their contribution to public safety.The Government is designing a program that is user-friendly, safe, and efficient while also recognizing the interests of hunters, including Indigenous hunters. Canadians and businesses can expect fair compensation for participation in the Firearms Buyback Program, for use as they see fit, including buying other firearms. Impacted owners, especially Indigenous groups, will continue to be engaged to understand and appreciate their unique interests and ensure they are considered in the design and implementation of the Program.As part of its comprehensive approach to address firearms violence, on May 30, 2022, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms), which received Royal Assent on December 15, 2023. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and communities from gun violence.The new legislative measures aim to:
  • Reduce firearm-related family violence, self-harm and prevent firearms misuse;
  • Decrease the risks associated with handguns by preventing most individuals from buying, selling and transferring handguns;
  • Prevent new assault-style firearms from entering the Canadian market;
  • Address the growing threat posed by ghost guns;
  • Provide additional tools for border controls and authorities to combat firearms smuggling, trafficking and related offences;
  • Establish new firearm-related offences and strengthened penalties;
  • Reaffirm respect for Aboriginal and treaty rights of Indigenous peoples; and,
  • Maintain the security of federal entities and solidify the administration of firearms control.
The amendments to the Criminal Code introduced by Bill C-21 include a new technical definition of a prohibited firearm which contains the characteristics of an assault-style firearm. Firearms that meet the technical characteristics and requirements of that definition, if they are designed and manufactured on or after Royal Assent, are prohibited.  On May 1st, 2023, the Government announced measures that complement Bill C-21, this included re-establishing the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee (CFAC) to independently review the classification of existing firearms. There are firearms on the existing market that do not belong in our communities. With a diverse membership, the Committee will make expert recommendations to account for any gaps in the market.
Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01989441-01989 (Justice)BobZimmerPrince George—Peace River—Northern RockiesConservativeBCDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Trudeau government has attempted to ban and seize the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;
  • The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight crime; and
  • The Trudeau government has failed those who participate in the Canadian traditions of sport-shooting.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to stop any and all current and future bans on hunting and sport-shooting firearms.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighborhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners.A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21, which received Royal Assent on December 15, 2023 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control. The new law includes a new forward-looking technical definition of a prohibited firearm that contains the characteristics of an assault-style firearm.Firearms that match the characteristics and requirements of this new technical definition will be prohibited. That is, a firearm that is not a handgun and that fires centre-fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner, was originally designed with a detachable magazine with a capacity of six cartridges or more, and that is designed and manufactured on or after the day the definition comes into force. As this new definition is forward looking, it applies to firearms that are designed and manufactured on or after December 15, 2023. This ensures that new firearms that exceed safe civilian use are not introduced into our communities. .This definition does not apply to firearms that were on the market prior the passage of C-21. No firearms legally owned by Canadians today will be affected.To stop the growth of handgun ownership, which grew from 500,000 in 2010 to more than 1 million in 2020, Bill C-21 codified the handgun freeze in statute. While current handgun owners can continue to use their handguns, Bill C-21 prevents most individuals from transferring or acquiring new handguns, with narrow exemptions, including for sport shooting. Individuals who are training, competing or coaching in a handgun discipline on the programme of the Olympic or Paralympic Committees and who are recognized as such by the national or provincial-territorial sport shooting governing body can continue to acquire or import handguns. Public Safety Canada will conduct consultations regarding the process for these athletes to acquire handguns for their sport and to support the development of regulations related to this exemption.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.The Government has also invested over $1.3B since 2016 to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase firearms tracing capacity and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01962441-01962 (Justice)BobZimmerPrince George—Peace River—Northern RockiesConservativeBCNovember 27, 2023January 29, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Trudeau government has attempted to ban and seize the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;
  • The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight crime; and
  • The Trudeau government has failed those who participate in the Canadian traditions of sport-shooting.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to stop any and all current and future bans on hunting and sport-shooting firearms.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighborhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners.A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21, which received Royal Assent on December 15, 2023 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control. The new law includes a new forward-looking technical definition of a prohibited firearm that contains the characteristics of an assault-style firearm.Firearms that match the characteristics and requirements of this new technical definition will be prohibited. That is, a firearm that is not a handgun and that fires centre-fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner, was originally designed with a detachable magazine with a capacity of six cartridges or more, and that is designed and manufactured on or after the day the definition comes into force. As thisnew definition is forward looking, it applies to firearms that are designed and manufactured on or after December 15, 2023. This ensures that new firearms that exceed safe civilian use are not introduced into our communities. .This definition does not apply to firearms that were on the market prior the passage of C-21. No firearms legally owned by Canadians today will be affected.To stop the growth of handgun ownership, which grew from 500,000 in 2010 to more than 1 million in 2020, Bill C-21 codified the handgun freeze in statute. While current handgun owners can continue to use their handguns, Bill C-21 prevents most individuals from transferring or acquiring new handguns, with narrow exemptions, including for sport shooting. Individuals who are training, competing or coaching in a handgun discipline on the programme of the Olympic or Paralympic Committees and who are recognized as such by the national or provincial-territorial sport shooting governing body can continue to acquire or import handguns. Public Safety Canada will conduct consultations regarding the process for these athletes to acquire handguns for their sport and to support the development of regulations related to this exemption.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.The Government has also invested over $1.3B since 2016 to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase firearms tracing capacity and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01724441-01724 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023May 15, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • The Government of Canada has announced plans for the mandatory purchase, or confiscation, of legally acquired firearms from law-abiding firearms retailers in Canada;
  • By the Prime Minister's own admission, the confiscation of "assault-style firearms" refers to hunting rifles and shotguns;
  • This program will confiscate firearms from legal gun owners rather than tackle gun smuggling across the Canada-US border and end a catch-and-release bail system that allows repeat violent offenders back on the streets; and
  • Confiscating the property of law-abiding farmers, hunters, and Indigenous peoples will not reduce violent crime in Canada.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel its plans to confiscate the firearms of law-abiding farmers, hunters, and Indigenous peoples and instead introduce common-sense firearms policies that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Too many Canadians have been affected by senseless acts of gun violence. Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities.To address this our Government is implementing a comprehensive approach to strengthen firearms control and tackle firearm-related violence across Canada, including comprehensive legislative reforms through Bill C-21, and over $1.3 billion in investments to strengthen community-based prevention and law enforcement capacity. This approach prioritizes public safety, reduces access to dangerous firearms, strengthens our border, and supports effective police work and community programming.  As part of this approach, on May 1, 2020, the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited, Restricted or Non-Restricted were amended to reclassify, and prohibit, approximately 1,500 models of firearms and their variants. The prohibition limits access to the most dangerous firearms.An Amnesty Order has been put in place to protect impacted owners from criminal liability, and to provide them with time to come into compliance with the law. Those who remain in possession of these firearms at the end of the amnesty period could be subject to criminal liability for unlawful possession.To support compliance with the law, the Government is committed to implementing a Firearms Buyback Program to ensure that the prohibited firearms are safely removed from our communities. The Government is designing a program that is user-friendly, safe, and efficient while also recognizing the interests of hunters, including Indigenous hunters. Canadians and businesses can expect fair compensation for participation in the Firearms Buyback Program, for use as they see fit, including buying other firearms. Impacted owners, especially Indigenous groups, will continue to be engaged to understand and appreciate their unique interests and ensure they are considered in the design and implementation of the Program.While the prohibition and the Firearms Buyback Program are key elements in the Government’s comprehensive approach, it is only one of a series of measures that the Government is taking to target firearms safety and reduce firearms violence and crime in this country.We are providing significant funding to help communities divert youth away from gang culture through the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), to date, the NCPS has invested approximately $565 million in support of 684crime prevention interventions. Through the NCPS, Public Safety Canada invests over $40 million annually in funding to community organizations to deliver culturally specific interventions that address the root causes of violence among youth and young people.Additionally, through the Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF)we have invested $122.7 million and have supported 47 gang prevention and diversion projects. Further, on March 16, 2022, the Government announced $250 million through the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) which provides direct funding to municipalities and Indigenous communities to strengthen local efforts to counter the social conditions that lead to criminal behaviour. This funding builds on the $358.8 million over five years, allocated by the Government in 2018 under the Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence.In addition to providing funding to address the root causes of crime, the Government knows that the cross-border smuggling of firearms also poses a threat to the safety and security of Canadians.Through Budget 2021, our government invested  $656.1 million over five years for the CBSA to modernize our borders, including enhancing our ability to detect contraband and helping protect the integrity of our border infrastructure.In order to enhance our capabilities to trace crime guns we have made an investment of $15 million. This funding will support the RCMP in the development of a new national tracing database; increased outreach to law enforcement agencies on the strategic benefits of tracing to criminal investigation; and the establishment of a national network to detect straw purchasing and promote information sharing between law enforcement partners to counter firearms trafficking and smuggling.The RCMP has also introduced a new mandatory tracing policy that requires all RCMP seized guns to be submitted for tracing, and in March 2023 the CBSA and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that allows them to share information directly on files/intelligence development and actions/events occurring or expected to occur at the border, in support of efforts to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal efforts to smuggle firearms and their parts.It’s important to note that the cross-border smuggling of firearms are not the only source of firearms that are used for criminal activity. In 2020, 73% of firearms traced by the Canadian Firearms Program recovered in crime scenes or seized by police were deemed to be imported legally or manufactured within Canada. Despite legal acquisition, these firearms have ended up being used in criminal activities.Concurrently, through Bill C-21 our Government is  introducing tougher penalties for trafficking and smuggling offences.Finally, on May 16, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-48 that proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would make targeted changes to the Criminal Code’s bail regime to address serious repeat violent offences with firearms, knives, bear spray and other weapons. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to address the enhanced risks posed by intimate partner violence. The proposed changes seek to improve the safety of people and communities across Canada.With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to make our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01723441-01723 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023May 16, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • The Government of Canada has announced plans for the mandatory purchase, or confiscation, of legally acquired firearms from law-abiding firearms retailers in Canada;
  • By the Prime Minister's own admission, the confiscation of "assault-style firearms" refers to hunting rifles and shotguns;
  • This program will confiscate firearms from legal gun owners rather than tackle gun smuggling across the Canada-US border and end a catch-and-release bail system that allows repeat violent offenders back on the streets; and
  • Confiscating the property of law-abiding farmers, hunters, and Indigenous peoples will not reduce violent crime in Canada.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel its plans to confiscate the firearms of law-abiding farmers, hunters, and Indigenous peoples and instead introduce common-sense firearms policies that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Too many Canadians have been affected by senseless acts of gun violence. Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities.To address this our Government is implementing a comprehensive approach to strengthen firearms control and tackle firearm-related violence across Canada, including comprehensive legislative reforms through Bill C-21, and over $1.3 billion in investments to strengthen community-based prevention and law enforcement capacity. This approach prioritizes public safety, reduces access to dangerous firearms, strengthens our border, and supports effective police work and community programming.  As part of this approach, on May 1, 2020, the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited, Restricted or Non-Restricted were amended to reclassify, and prohibit, approximately 1,500 models of firearms and their variants. The prohibition limits access to the most dangerous firearms.An Amnesty Order has been put in place to protect impacted owners from criminal liability, and to provide them with time to come into compliance with the law. Those who remain in possession of these firearms at the end of the amnesty period could be subject to criminal liability for unlawful possession.To support compliance with the law, the Government is committed to implementing a Firearms Buyback Program to ensure that the prohibited firearms are safely removed from our communities. The Government is designing a program that is user-friendly, safe, and efficient while also recognizing the interests of hunters, including Indigenous hunters. Canadians and businesses can expect fair compensation for participation in the Firearms Buyback Program, for use as they see fit, including buying other firearms. Impacted owners, especially Indigenous groups, will continue to be engaged to understand and appreciate their unique interests and ensure they are considered in the design and implementation of the Program.While the prohibition and the Firearms Buyback Program are key elements in the Government’s comprehensive approach, it is only one of a series of measures that the Government is taking to target firearms safety and reduce firearms violence and crime in this country.We are providing significant funding to help communities divert youth away from gang culture through the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), to date, the NCPS has invested approximately $565 million in support of 684crime prevention interventions. Through the NCPS, Public Safety Canada invests over $40 million annually in funding to community organizations to deliver culturally specific interventions that address the root causes of violence among youth and young people.Additionally, through the Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF)we have invested $122.7 million and have supported 47 gang prevention and diversion projects. Further, on March 16, 2022, the Government announced $250 million through the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) which provides direct funding to municipalities and Indigenous communities to strengthen local efforts to counter the social conditions that lead to criminal behaviour. This funding builds on the $358.8 million over five years, allocated by the Government in 2018 under the Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence.In addition to providing funding to address the root causes of crime, the Government knows that the cross-border smuggling of firearms also poses a threat to the safety and security of Canadians.Through Budget 2021, our government invested  $656.1 million over five years for the CBSA to modernize our borders, including enhancing our ability to detect contraband and helping protect the integrity of our border infrastructure.In order to enhance our capabilities to trace crime guns we have made an investment of $15 million. This funding will support the RCMP in the development of a new national tracing database; increased outreach to law enforcement agencies on the strategic benefits of tracing to criminal investigation; and the establishment of a national network to detect straw purchasing and promote information sharing between law enforcement partners to counter firearms trafficking and smuggling.The RCMP has also introduced a new mandatory tracing policy that requires all RCMP seized guns to be submitted for tracing, and in March 2023 the CBSA and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that allows them to share information directly on files/intelligence development and actions/events occurring or expected to occur at the border, in support of efforts to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal efforts to smuggle firearms and their parts.It’s important to note that the cross-border smuggling of firearms are not the only source of firearms that are used for criminal activity. In 2020, 73% of firearms traced by the Canadian Firearms Program recovered in crime scenes or seized by police were deemed to be imported legally or manufactured within Canada. Despite legal acquisition, these firearms have ended up being used in criminal activities.Concurrently, through Bill C-21 our Government is  introducing tougher penalties for trafficking and smuggling offences.Finally, on May 16, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-48 that proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would make targeted changes to the Criminal Code’s bail regime to address serious repeat violent offences with firearms, knives, bear spray and other weapons. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to address the enhanced risks posed by intimate partner violence. The proposed changes seek to improve the safety of people and communities across Canada.With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to make our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01591441-01591 (Justice)BlakeRichardsBanff—AirdrieConservativeABJune 21, 2023September 18, 2023May 29, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Legal rifles and guns are almost exclusively used by hunters and sporting enthusiasts;Taking legal firearms, obtained after a strict vetting process will not stop the importation of illegal guns, typically used by gangs to commit crimes; andThe Trudeau Liberal government has refused to replace bail with jail for violent offenders, including those committing crimes with illegally obtained guns.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon Parliament to reject the proposed federal Gun Grab.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, P.C, K.C., M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. Firearms violence is a complex issue affecting Canadians in both urban and rural settings and implicates various types of firearms. As part of a comprehensive approach to address gun violence and strengthen gun laws in Canada, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and, since its introduction, the Government has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.Despite a long history of handgun regulation in Canada, handgun violence continues to inflict significant damage to Canadians and communities. Handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of the Government’s plan to protect Canadians from gun violence. In order to strengthen handgun control across Canada, Bill C-21 includes measures that would essentially cap the domestic lawful handgun market in Canada by freezing the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada and prevent individuals from bringing newly acquired firearms into Canada. The freeze on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada, and on the importation of newly acquired handguns into Canada, came into force by regulatory amendments pursuant to the Firearms Act on October 21, 2022.Bill C-21 puts the safety of Canadians first by recognizing that handgun use is appropriate in some situations and providing for limited exceptions from the national freeze on handguns.When Bill C-21 was introduced, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns, and were withdrawn to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1, 2023 took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measures to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from entering Canada were announced. In addition to proposed amendments, the government also announced its intention to re-establish the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, and through regulations, require that manufacturers seek a Firearms Reference Table number before being allowed to sell in Canada.On May 12, 2023, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) adopted the revised amendments to Bill C-21. The proposed measures would add a new prospective technical definition to the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code;  address the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms, otherwise known as “ghost guns”; and include a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. Our Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01545441-01545 (Justice)BlakeRichardsBanff—AirdrieConservativeABJune 14, 2023September 18, 2023May 29, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Legal rifles and guns are almost exclusively used by hunters and sporting enthusiasts;Taking legal firearms, obtained after a strict vetting process will not stop the importation of illegal guns, typically used by gangs to commit crimes; andThe Trudeau Liberal government has refused to replace bail with jail for violent offenders, including those committing crimes with illegally obtained guns.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon Parliament to reject the proposed federal Gun Grab.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, P.C, K.C., M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. Firearms violence is a complex issue affecting Canadians in both urban and rural settings and implicates various types of firearms. As part of a comprehensive approach to address gun violence and strengthen gun laws in Canada, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and, since its introduction, the Government has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.Despite a long history of handgun regulation in Canada, handgun violence continues to inflict significant damage to Canadians and communities. Handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of the Government’s plan to protect Canadians from gun violence. In order to strengthen handgun control across Canada, Bill C-21 includes measures that would essentially cap the domestic lawful handgun market in Canada by freezing the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada and prevent individuals from bringing newly acquired firearms into Canada. The freeze on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada, and on the importation of newly acquired handguns into Canada, came into force by regulatory amendments pursuant to the Firearms Act on October 21, 2022.Bill C-21 puts the safety of Canadians first by recognizing that handgun use is appropriate in some situations and providing for limited exceptions from the national freeze on handguns.When Bill C-21 was introduced, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns, and were withdrawn to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1, 2023 took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measures to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from entering Canada were announced. In addition to proposed amendments, the government also announced its intention to re-establish the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, and through regulations, require that manufacturers seek a Firearms Reference Table number before being allowed to sell in Canada.On May 12, 2023, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) adopted the revised amendments to Bill C-21. The proposed measures would add a new prospective technical definition to the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code;  address the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms, otherwise known as “ghost guns”; and include a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. Our Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing.Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01462441-01462 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMay 17, 2023August 16, 2023May 15, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history.Firearms violence is a complex issue affecting Canadians in both urban and rural settings and implicates various types of firearms. As part of a comprehensive approach to address gun violence and strengthen gun laws in Canada, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and, since its introduction, the Government has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.Despite a long history of handgun regulation in Canada, handgun violence continues to inflict significant damage to Canadians and communities. Handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of the Government’s plan to protect Canadians from gun violence. In order to strengthen handgun control across Canada, Bill C-21 includes measures that would essentially cap the domestic lawful handgun market in Canada by freezing the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada and prevent individuals from bringing newly acquired firearms into Canada. The freeze on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada, and on the importation of newly acquired handguns into Canada, came into force by regulatory amendments pursuant to the Firearms Act on October 21, 2022.Bill C-21 puts the safety of Canadians first by recognizing that handgun use is appropriate in some situations and providing for limited exceptions from the national freeze on handguns.When Bill C-21 was introduced, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns in society, and were withdrawn to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1, 2023 took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measures to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from entering Canada were announced. In addition to proposed amendments, the government also announced its intention to re-establish the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, and through regulations, require that manufacturers seek a Firearms Reference Table number before being allowed to sell in Canada.On May 12, 2023, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) adopted the revised amendments to Bill C-21. The proposed measures would add a new prospective technical definition to the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code;  address the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms, otherwise known as “ghost guns”; and include a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture.Our Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01444441-01444 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMay 11, 2023August 16, 2023April 19, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history.Firearms violence is a complex issue affecting Canadians in both urban and rural settings and implicates various types of firearms. As part of a comprehensive approach to address gun violence and strengthen gun laws in Canada, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and, since its introduction, the Government has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.Despite a long history of handgun regulation in Canada, handgun violence continues to inflict significant damage to Canadians and communities. Handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of the Government’s plan to protect Canadians from gun violence. In order to strengthen handgun control across Canada, Bill C-21 includes measures that would essentially cap the domestic lawful handgun market in Canada by freezing the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada and prevent individuals from bringing newly acquired firearms into Canada. The freeze on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada, and on the importation of newly acquired handguns into Canada, came into force by regulatory amendments pursuant to the Firearms Act on October 21, 2022.Bill C-21 puts the safety of Canadians first by recognizing that handgun use is appropriate in some situations and providing for limited exceptions from the national freeze on handguns.When Bill C-21 was introduced, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns in society, and were withdrawn to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1, 2023 took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measures to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from entering Canada were announced. In addition to proposed amendments, the government also announced its intention to re-establish the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, and through regulations, require that manufacturers seek a Firearms Reference Table number before being allowed to sell in Canada.On May 12, 2023, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) adopted the revised amendments to Bill C-21. The proposed measures would add a new prospective technical definition to the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code;  address the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms, otherwise known as “ghost guns”; and include a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture.Our Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01443441-01443 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMay 11, 2023August 16, 2023April 24, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history.Firearms violence is a complex issue affecting Canadians in both urban and rural settings and implicates various types of firearms. As part of a comprehensive approach to address gun violence and strengthen gun laws in Canada, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and, since its introduction, the Government has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.Despite a long history of handgun regulation in Canada, handgun violence continues to inflict significant damage to Canadians and communities. Handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of the Government’s plan to protect Canadians from gun violence. In order to strengthen handgun control across Canada, Bill C-21 includes measures that would essentially cap the domestic lawful handgun market in Canada by freezing the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada and prevent individuals from bringing newly acquired firearms into Canada. The freeze on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada, and on the importation of newly acquired handguns into Canada, came into force by regulatory amendments pursuant to the Firearms Act on October 21, 2022.Bill C-21 puts the safety of Canadians first by recognizing that handgun use is appropriate in some situations and providing for limited exceptions from the national freeze on handguns.When Bill C-21 was introduced, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns in society, and were withdrawn to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1, 2023 took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measures to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from entering Canada were announced. In addition to proposed amendments, the government also announced its intention to re-establish the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, and through regulations, require that manufacturers seek a Firearms Reference Table number before being allowed to sell in Canada.On May 12, 2023, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) adopted the revised amendments to Bill C-21. The proposed measures would add a new prospective technical definition to the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code;  address the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms, otherwise known as “ghost guns”; and include a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture.Our Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01442441-01442 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMay 11, 2023August 16, 2023April 24, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history.Firearms violence is a complex issue affecting Canadians in both urban and rural settings and implicates various types of firearms. As part of a comprehensive approach to address gun violence and strengthen gun laws in Canada, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and, since its introduction, the Government has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.Despite a long history of handgun regulation in Canada, handgun violence continues to inflict significant damage to Canadians and communities. Handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of the Government’s plan to protect Canadians from gun violence. In order to strengthen handgun control across Canada, Bill C-21 includes measures that would essentially cap the domestic lawful handgun market in Canada by freezing the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada and prevent individuals from bringing newly acquired firearms into Canada. The freeze on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada, and on the importation of newly acquired handguns into Canada, came into force by regulatory amendments pursuant to the Firearms Act on October 21, 2022.Bill C-21 puts the safety of Canadians first by recognizing that handgun use is appropriate in some situations and providing for limited exceptions from the national freeze on handguns.When Bill C-21 was introduced, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns in society, and were withdrawn to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1, 2023 took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measures to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from entering Canada were announced. In addition to proposed amendments, the government also announced its intention to re-establish the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, and through regulations, require that manufacturers seek a Firearms Reference Table number before being allowed to sell in Canada.On May 12, 2023, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) adopted the revised amendments to Bill C-21. The proposed measures would add a new prospective technical definition to the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code;  address the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms, otherwise known as “ghost guns”; and include a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture.Our Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01441441-01441 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMay 11, 2023August 16, 2023March 20, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history.Firearms violence is a complex issue affecting Canadians in both urban and rural settings and implicates various types of firearms. As part of a comprehensive approach to address gun violence and strengthen gun laws in Canada, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and, since its introduction, the Government has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.Despite a long history of handgun regulation in Canada, handgun violence continues to inflict significant damage to Canadians and communities. Handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of the Government’s plan to protect Canadians from gun violence. In order to strengthen handgun control across Canada, Bill C-21 includes measures that would essentially cap the domestic lawful handgun market in Canada by freezing the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada and prevent individuals from bringing newly acquired firearms into Canada. The freeze on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada, and on the importation of newly acquired handguns into Canada, came into force by regulatory amendments pursuant to the Firearms Act on October 21, 2022.Bill C-21 puts the safety of Canadians first by recognizing that handgun use is appropriate in some situations and providing for limited exceptions from the national freeze on handguns.When Bill C-21 was introduced, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns in society, and were withdrawn to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1, 2023 took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measures to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from entering Canada were announced. In addition to proposed amendments, the government also announced its intention to re-establish the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, and through regulations, require that manufacturers seek a Firearms Reference Table number before being allowed to sell in Canada.On May 12, 2023, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) adopted the revised amendments to Bill C-21. The proposed measures would add a new prospective technical definition to the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code;  address the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms, otherwise known as “ghost guns”; and include a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture.Our Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01377441-01377 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023February 20, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01376441-01376 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023April 18, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01375441-01375 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023April 14, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01374441-01374 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023April 11, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01373441-01373 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023April 3, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01372441-01372 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023March 31, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01371441-01371 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023March 30, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01370441-01370 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023March 21, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01369441-01369 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023March 20, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01368441-01368 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023March 20, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01367441-01367 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023March 20, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01366441-01366 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023March 20, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01365441-01365 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023March 20, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01364441-01364 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023March 17, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01363441-01363 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023March 14, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01362441-01362 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023March 14, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01361441-01361 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023March 14, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01360441-01360 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023March 1, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01359441-01359 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023March 2, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 12, 2023441-01358441-01358 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONApril 27, 2023June 12, 2023February 20, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced. From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we arecommitted to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 1, 2023e-4221e-4221 (Justice)RobertDowdellJohnBrassardBarrie—InnisfilConservativeONDecember 21, 2022, at 3:18 p.m. (EDT)February 19, 2023, at 3:18 p.m. (EDT)April 18, 2023June 1, 2023February 20, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The Government of Canada's amendments to C-21 tabled in the Committee on November 22,2022, negatively affect law-abiding gun owners;The amendments of C-21 drastically change the original focus of the bill;In the amendment of C-21 the definition " prohibited firearm" was not in the Charter Statement and was not debated in the House of Commons;Public Safety Canada stated that the Hill & Knowlton consultant summary "Reducing Violence: A Dialogue of Handguns and Assault Weapons" was their primary source of Information to justify the Order in Council 2020-0298 and Bill C-21. As noted in the report key findings, the majority of stakeholders who were invited by Public Safety Canada for written responses opposed a potential ban of firearms of legal gun owners;The amendment of November 22, 2022, "evergreen definition" of a prohibited firearm is an overreach. Semi-automatic firearms are non-restrictive. Fully automatic firearm and magazines capacity of more than five have been prohibited in Canada since the 1970's;The amendment to C-21 greatly infringes on the treaty rights of First Nations legal gun owners; andThe prohibited firearm definition is an item currently contained with in Federal Court Case concerning the Order in Council of May 2020. The amendment could directly affect the outcome of this Federal Court Case.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Stop targeting law abiding hunters, sports shooters and farmers with gun legislation; and2. Immediately withdraw the amendments tabled on November 22, 2022, at the Standing Commitee of Public Safety and National Security.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner. No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01284441-01284 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMarch 31, 2023May 15, 2023February 9, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022,  amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.  No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920M throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01283441-01283 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMarch 31, 2023May 15, 2023February 8, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022,  amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.  No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920M throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01282441-01282 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMarch 31, 2023May 15, 2023February 9, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022,  amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.  No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920M throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01281441-01281 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMarch 31, 2023May 15, 2023February 8, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022,  amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.  No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920M throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01280441-01280 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMarch 31, 2023May 15, 2023February 14, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022,  amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.  No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920M throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01279441-01279 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMarch 31, 2023May 15, 2023February 14, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022,  amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.  No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920M throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01269441-01269 (Justice)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCMarch 31, 2023May 15, 2023January 25, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWHEREAS:
  • The federal government has introduced Bill C-21, which includes sections prohibiting the majority of replica firearms, such as Airsoft guns, and embedding in legislation Order in Council P.C. 2020-298 of May 1, 2020 which prohibits and limits the possession of firearms listed therein;
  • Bill C-21 will criminalize hundreds of thousands of law-abiding Canadians for possessing legally obtained firearms;
  • Bill C-21 will financially devastate thousands of Canadians reliant on the sale of firearms for all or part of their income;
  • Hunting has a longstanding history in Canada, for both Indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians, and needlessly revoking citizens' firearms erases and discounts our history and traditions; and
  • The vast majority of gun crimes are committed with illegally obtained firearms, and confiscating firearms from law abiding citizens does nothing to stop dangerous criminals and gangs who obtain their guns illegally.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to stop targeting law abiding citizens for possessing legally obtained firearms, to protect the rights and freedoms of Canadians by ensuring firearms legislation is based on evidence not ideology, and to withdraw Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gunviolence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner. No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920M throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.  
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01263441-01263 (Justice)RandyHobackPrince AlbertConservativeSKMarch 31, 2023May 15, 2023January 25, 2023PETITION TO THE PARLIAMENT OF CANADA:Whereas: The federal government has proposed legislation (Bill C-21) to ban the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight gun crime and rural crime;Hunting and sport shooting are proud Canadian traditions; andAttempts to ban shotguns are an attack on rural and indigenous people.Therefore we, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Parliament of Canada to stop the Liberal Government's ban on hunting rifles.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner. No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920M throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01262441-01262 (Justice)RandyHobackPrince AlbertConservativeSKMarch 31, 2023May 15, 2023March 15, 2023PETITION TO THE PARLIAMENT OF CANADA:Whereas: The federal government has proposed legislation (Bill C-21) to ban the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight gun crime and rural crime;Hunting and sport shooting are proud Canadian traditions; andAttempts to ban shotguns are an attack on rural and indigenous people.Therefore we, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Parliament of Canada to stop the Liberal Government's ban on hunting rifles.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner. No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920M throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01261441-01261 (Justice)RandyHobackPrince AlbertConservativeSKMarch 31, 2023May 15, 2023March 3, 2023PETITION TO THE PARLIAMENT OF CANADA:Whereas: The federal government has proposed legislation (Bill C-21) to ban the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight gun crime and rural crime;Hunting and sport shooting are proud Canadian traditions; andAttempts to ban shotguns are an attack on rural and indigenous people.Therefore we, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Parliament of Canada to stop the Liberal Government's ban on hunting rifles.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner. No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920M throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01260441-01260 (Justice)RandyHobackPrince AlbertConservativeSKMarch 31, 2023May 15, 2023February 14, 2023PETITION TO THE PARLIAMENT OF CANADA:Whereas: The federal government has proposed legislation (Bill C-21) to ban the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight gun crime and rural crime;Hunting and sport shooting are proud Canadian traditions; andAttempts to ban shotguns are an attack on rural and indigenous people.Therefore we, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Parliament of Canada to stop the Liberal Government's ban on hunting rifles.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner. No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920M throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01259441-01259 (Justice)RandyHobackPrince AlbertConservativeSKMarch 31, 2023May 15, 2023February 8, 2023PETITION TO THE PARLIAMENT OF CANADA:Whereas: The federal government has proposed legislation (Bill C-21) to ban the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight gun crime and rural crime;Hunting and sport shooting are proud Canadian traditions; andAttempts to ban shotguns are an attack on rural and indigenous people.Therefore we, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Parliament of Canada to stop the Liberal Government's ban on hunting rifles.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner. No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920M throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01258441-01258 (Justice)RandyHobackPrince AlbertConservativeSKMarch 31, 2023May 15, 2023February 1, 2023PETITION TO THE PARLIAMENT OF CANADA:Whereas: The federal government has proposed legislation (Bill C-21) to ban the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight gun crime and rural crime;Hunting and sport shooting are proud Canadian traditions; andAttempts to ban shotguns are an attack on rural and indigenous people.Therefore we, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Parliament of Canada to stop the Liberal Government's ban on hunting rifles.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner. No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920M throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01257441-01257 (Justice)RandyHobackPrince AlbertConservativeSKMarch 31, 2023May 15, 2023February 1, 2023PETITION TO THE PARLIAMENT OF CANADA:Whereas: The federal government has proposed legislation (Bill C-21) to ban the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight gun crime and rural crime;Hunting and sport shooting are proud Canadian traditions; andAttempts to ban shotguns are an attack on rural and indigenous people.Therefore we, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Parliament of Canada to stop the Liberal Government's ban on hunting rifles.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner. No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920M throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 15, 2023441-01246441-01246 (Justice)TracyGrayKelowna—Lake CountryConservativeBCMarch 30, 2023May 15, 2023March 20, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • Bill C-21 is based on ideology, not evidence or data;
  • Criminals who have illegally obtained firearms will continue to do so regardless of new legislation;
  • The government's Order in Council from May 1 2020, banning over 1000 firearms was done without debate in the House of Commons, committee study or public consultations; and
  • Bill C-21 would divert resources away from addressing the criminal use of illegal firearms; potentially putting more, not fewer Canadians at risk of gun violence.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Stop targeting law abiding hunters, sports shooters and farmers with gun legislation;2. Revise Bill C-21 so that it will effectively address the illegal use of firearms by criminals, while respecting the rights of law-abiding citizens; and3. Focus law enforcement resources on gangs, drug traffickers, illegal gun traffickers, and those who purchase firearms illegally as they are the groups responsible for violence in our communities.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns and were withdrawn  to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1st,  took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measure to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from Canada were announced.  From Tackling the issues of ghost gun, to the re-establishment of the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee those measure were made in Respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis by including a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner. No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada.  This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.  The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence.  This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledApril 24, 2023441-01177441-01177 (Justice)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCMarch 9, 2023April 24, 2023March 1, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWHEREAS:
  • The federal government has introduced Bill C-21, which includes sections prohibiting the majority of replica firearms, such as Airsoft guns, and embedding in legislation Order in Council P.C. 2020-298 of May 1, 2020 which prohibits and limits the possession of firearms listed therein;
  • Bill C-21 will criminalize hundreds of thousands of law-abiding Canadians for possessing legally obtained firearms;
  • Bill C-21 will financially devastate thousands of Canadians reliant on the sale of firearms for all or part of their income;
  • Hunting has a longstanding history in Canada, for both Indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians, and needlessly revoking citizens' firearms erases and discounts our history and traditions; and
  • The vast majority of gun crimes are committed with illegally obtained firearms, and confiscating firearms from law abiding citizens does nothing to stop dangerous criminals and gangs who obtain their guns illegally.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to stop targeting law abiding citizens for possessing legally obtained firearms, to protect the rights and freedoms of Canadians by ensuring firearms legislation is based on evidence not ideology, and to withdraw Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.As part of a comprehensive approach to address firearms violence and control, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns.On February 3, 2023, the Government withdrew these amendments to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 31, 2023441-01148441-01148 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONFebruary 15, 2023March 31, 2023February 8, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.As part of a comprehensive approach to address firearms violence and control, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns.On February 3, 2023, the Government withdrew these amendments to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 30, 2023441-01139441-01139 (Justice)AlexRuffBruce—Grey—Owen SoundConservativeONFebruary 14, 2023March 30, 2023February 6, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada Whereas:
  • The Government of Canada's amendments to C-21 tabled in the Committee on November 22, 2022 negatively affect law-abiding gun owners;
  • The amendments of C-21 drastically change the original focus of the bill;
  • In the amendment of C-21 the definition "prohibited firearm" was not in the Charter Statement and was not debated in the House of Commons;
  • Public Safety Canada stated that the Hill & Knowlton consultant summary "Reducing Violence: A Dialogue of Handguns and Assault Weapons" was their primary source of Information to justify the Order in Council 2020-0298 and Bill C-21. As noted in the report key findings, the majority of stakeholders who were invited by Public Safety Canada for written responses opposed a potential ban of firearms of legal gun owners;
  • The amendment of November 22, 2022, "evergreen definition" of a prohibited firearm is an overreach. Semi-automatic firearms are non-restrictive. Fully automatic firearm and magazines capacity of more than five have been prohibited in Canada since the 1970s;
  • The amendment to C-21 greatly infringes on the treaty rights of First Nations legal gun owners; and
  • The prohibited firearm definition is an item currently contained with in Federal Court Case concerning the Order in Council of May 2020. The amendment could directly affect the outcome of this Federal Court Case.
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Stop targeting law abiding hunters, sports shooters and farmers with gun legislation; and2. Immediately withdraw the amendments tabled on November 22, 2022, at the Standing Committee of Public Safety and National Security.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.As part of a comprehensive approach to address firearms violence and control, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns.On February 3, 2023, the Government withdrew these amendments to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 29, 2023441-01136441-01136 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONFebruary 13, 2023March 29, 2023February 8, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.As part of a comprehensive approach to address firearms violence and control, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns.On February 3, 2023, the Government withdrew these amendments to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2023441-01107441-01107 (Justice)TracyGrayKelowna—Lake CountryConservativeBCFebruary 3, 2023March 20, 2023February 1, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Government of Canada's amendments to C-21 tabled in committee on November 22, 2022, negatively affect law-abiding gun owners;
  • The amendments of C-21 drastically change the original focus of the bill;
  • In the amendment of C-21 the definition "prohibited firearm" was not in the Charter Statement and was not debated in the House of Commons;
  • Public Safety Canada stated that the Hill & Knowlton consultant summary "Reducing Violence: A Dialogue of Handguns and Assault Weapons" was their primary source of Information to justify the Order in Council 2020-0298 and Bill C-21. As noted in the report key findings, the majority of stakeholders who were invited by Public Safety Canada for written responses opposed a potential ban of firearms of legal gun owners;
  • The amendment of November 22, 2022, "evergreen definition" of a prohibited firearm is an overreach. Semi-automatic firearms are non-restrictive. Fully automatic firearm and magazines capacity of more than five have been prohibited in Canada since the 1970's;
  • The amendment to C-21 greatly infringes on the treaty rights of First Nations legal gun owners; and
  • The prohibited firearm definition is an item currently contained with in Federal Court Case concerning the Order in Council of May 2020. The amendment could directly affect the outcome of this Federal Court Case.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Stop targeting law abiding hunters, sports shooters and farmers with gun legislation; 2. Immediately withdraw the amendments tabled on November 22, 2022, at the Standing Commitee of Public Safety and National Security; and3. Withdraw the existing Bill C-21 and restart consultations on the with firearms owners and public safety experts.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.As part of a comprehensive approach to address firearms violence and control, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.When the Bill was tabled, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns.On February 3, 2023, the Government withdrew these amendments to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. The core intent of the amendments is to remove assault style firearms from civilian use and not to target hunting rifles. These amendments are not in any way intended to limit Indigenous rights. The Government will continue to consult and cooperate with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to identify a path forward.The Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 4, 2022441-00221441-00221 (Justice)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCMarch 21, 2022May 4, 2022July 27, 2021PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWHEREAS
  • The federal government has introduced Bill C-21, which includes sections prohibiting the majority of replica firearms, such as Airsoft guns, and embedding in legislation Order in Council P.C. 2020-298 of May 1, 2020 which prohibits and limits the possession of firearms listed therein;
  • Bill C-21 will criminalize hundreds of thousands of law-abiding Canadians for possessing legally obtained firearms;
  • Bill C-21 will financially devastate thousands of Canadians reliant on the sale of firearms for all or part of their income;
  • Hunting has a longstanding history in Canada, for both Indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians, and needlessly revoking citizens' firearms erases and discounts our history and traditions;
  • The vast majority of gun crimes are committed with illegally obtained firearms, and confiscating firearms from law abiding citizens does nothing to stop dangerous criminals and gangs who obtain their guns illegally;
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to stop targeting law abiding citizens for possessing legally obtained firearms, to protect the rights and freedoms of Canadians by ensuring firearms legislation is based on evidence not ideology, and to withdraw Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Pam Damoff, M.P.Reply In cities across Canada, firearms violence is on the rise. Addressing the devastating effects of gun and gang violence is a priority shared by all Canadians.Former Bill C-21, introduced in February 2021, was a comprehensive suite of initiatives to combat firearms crime and enhance gun control in Canada. Due to the dissolution of Parliament in 2021, the Bill died on the order paper.With respect to replica firearms, former Bill C-21 proposed to close a gap. The current definition of “replica firearm” in the Criminal Code, in force since 1998, only applies to low-velocity firearms (approximately 366 feet per second (fps) or less), such as pellet guns. These low-velocity firearms may not be imported, exported, transferred or sold in Canada, with limited exceptions for some businesses that have the necessary authorizations to sell replicas to other businesses (e.g., in the movie industry). For twenty years, the Canadian Association of Chief of Police (CACP) has called on the Government of Canada to close the “loophole” on the sale and importation of indistinguishable replica firearms. In their opinion, these can either be mistaken for, or converted into, deadly weapons, and have been used in crimes which compromise public safety. In response to the former Bill C-21, the CACP’s statement read that “we also agree with implementing initiatives that target the criminal use and diversion of firearms to the illicit market by prohibiting the importation, exportation and sale of ‘replica’ firearms, something the CACP urged the government to do in a resolution passed by our membership back in 2000.”On May 1, 2020, our government banned over 1,500 models and variants of assault-style firearms. In making the regulations to ban the now prohibited firearms, we considered that the significant risk these firearms pose to public safety outweighs any justification for their continued use and availability within Canada. Numerous other types of firearms remain available for hunting or sport shooting purposes.Our government put in place an amnesty order to protect owners of assault-style rifles from criminal liability, and to provide them with time to come into compliance with the law. For the duration of the amnesty period, in effect until October 30, 2023, sustenance hunters and individuals exercising their s.35 rights may continue to use a now prohibited firearm to hunt if the firearm was, on April 30, 2020, previously classified as a non-restricted firearm.Our government has invested $125M through the Initiative to Take Action against Gun and Gang Violence to enhance the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) and the Canadian Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) capacity to detect and disrupt gun smuggling. These investments are working and have resulted in increased gun seizures and arrests thanks to the hard-working members of the RCMP and the CBSA.We are investing a further $312 million over five years, beginning this year, including $40 million for the RCMP to combat smuggling, $15 million for tracing, and over $21 million for CBSA equipment and intelligence sharing.That said, it is important to recognize that, in 2020, of the over 4,000 seized firearms that were traced by Canadian law enforcement, 58% were domestically sourced. This means that there also needs to be a focus on guns that are straw purchased (bought legally and then diverted to the black market), stolen, or legally owned and used in crime here in Canada.Furthermore, to help stop gun violence before it starts we are investing $250 million through the Building Safer Communities Fund to help municipalities and Indigenous communities prevent gun and gang violence by tackling its root causes.Our Government will also re-introduce legislation 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 police information-sharing needed to investigate firearms offences; and prevent illegal ammunition from entering our country.These are but some of the steps our government has taken towards addressing gun crime in this country, but there is more to be done. Our government will continue to listen to law enforcement, survivors of gun violence and public health experts to keep our communities safe.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledApril 25, 2022441-00214441-00214 (Public safety)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABMarch 4, 2022April 25, 2022May 29, 2018Petition to THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada, along with all their colleagues in Parliament, to propose and accept substantial amendments to Bill C-71 (An Act to amend certain Acts and Regulations in relation to firearms) on the aforementioned or other details of this bill.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Pam DamoffIn cities across Canada, firearms violence is on the rise. Addressing the devastating effects of gun and gang violence is a priority shared by all Canadians. Our government passed former Bill C-71 to keep firearms out of the hands of people who should not have them, and enable the tracing of firearms used in crimes. We moved quickly but carefully to implement C-71 in a way that was fair and transparent to firearm owners and businesses. We consulted on proposed regulations, and we made certain the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had the tools needed to implement the regulations effectively. On July 7, 2021, our government brought into force expanded background checks for licence applications to cover the entire lifetime of an applicant’s history, and the Chief Firearms Officer must now consider whether the applicant has a history of harassment or restraining orders, or poses a danger to any other person. These changes are preventing people with a history of violence from owning a firearm. Also on July 7, 2021, our government restored limits on the transportation of restricted and prohibited firearms within our communities. Individuals must now seek a Chief Firearms Officer’s discretionary authorization to transport these firearms to all places other than a shooting range or home after purchase. We are committed to completing the implementation of former Bill C-71. Forthcoming regulations on licence verification will protect public safety by reducing the risk of non-restricted firearms being sold or given to anyone that does not possess a valid firearms licence. The Chief Coroner of Ontario specifically requested this change after improper transfers resulted in fatal consequences. The regulations will also require businesses to keep sales and inventory records on non-restricted firearms for at least 20 years. Firearms businesses will hold the records. No information on a non-restricted firearm being transferred would be provided to the Registrar of Firearms; our government has pledged to not bring back the long-gun registry. Law enforcement will need to have a valid purpose in order to access the records, often a judicial production order (e.g., to trace a crime gun, to investigate domestic trafficking or straw purchasing). Our Government will also re-introduce legislation 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 police information-sharing needed to investigate firearms offences; and prevent illegal ammunition from entering our country. On June 21, 2021, the regulations were tabled in both Houses of Parliament for review, as required by section 118 of the Firearms Act, and, on June 26, 2021, the regulations were pre-published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, for 30 days of public comment. The House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security considered the Regulations in its meeting on December 16, 2021, and recommended no changes to them.  Our government intends to bring these regulations into force at the earliest opportunity. Bill C-71 and its regulations are critical to public safety. But, more is needed. Our government is committed to stronger gun controls and it is investing in policing, border enforcement and community gang prevention strategies. We banned over 1,500 models of assault-style rifles. We will remove them from our communities and implement a buy-back program. Our government has invested $125M through the Initiative to Take Action against Gun and Gang Violence to enhance the RCMP and the Canadian Border Services Agency’s capacity to detect and disrupt gun smuggling. These investments are working. We’ve seen increased gun seizures and arrests thanks to the hard-working members of the RCMP and the CBSA. We’re investing a further $312 million over five years, beginning this year, including $40 million for the RCMP to combat smuggling, $15 million for tracing, and over $21 million for CBSA equipment and intelligence sharing. We are providing $250 million for municipalities and Indigenous communities to fight gang violence on our streets under the Building Safer Communities Fund. And, our government is committed to investing a minimum of a $1 billion to support provinces that want to ban handguns, which are the weapon of choice for gang members. Our Government will also re-introduce legislation 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 police information-sharing needed to investigate firearms offences; and prevent illegal ammunition from entering our country. Our Government has clearly taken bold action to address firearms and gang violence. All levels of government have a role to play. I call on all communities to join the Government of Canada in doing their part to stamp out gun violence.
FirearmsPolice services
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 31, 2022441-00084441-00084 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABDecember 15, 2021January 31, 2022November 23, 2021Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas:
  • Bill C-71, An Act to amend certain Acts and Regulations in relation to firearms, does nothing to tackle firearms violence, but rather adds further red-tape on law abiding firearms owners;
  • This legislation brings back the useless and ineffective long-gun registry; and
  • This legislation does not provide the resources to frontline police forces to tackle the true source of firearms violence: gangs and organized criminal enterprises.
We, the undersigned, Residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to repeal Bill C-71, An Act to amend certain Acts and Regulations in relation to firearms, and to instead devote greater resources to policing in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public SafetySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Pam DamoffIn cities across Canada, firearms violence is on the rise. Addressing the devastating effects of gun and gang violence is a priority shared by all Canadians and while Conservative members of Parliament have made many promises to the gun lobby to weaken gun control in Canada, our government remains committed to strengthening gun control. Our Government passed former Bill C-71 to keep firearms out of the wrong hands and to help trace firearms used in crimes. We moved quickly but carefully to implement C-71 in a way that was fair and transparent to firearms owners and  businesses. We consulted on proposed regulations, and we made certain the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had the tools needed to implement the regulations effectively. On July 7, 2021, our Government brought into force expanded background checks for licence applications to cover the entire lifetime of an applicant’s history, and the Chief Firearms Officer must now consider whether the applicant has a history of harassment or restraining orders, or poses a danger to any other person. These changes are preventing people with a history of violence from owning a firearm. Also on July 7, 2021, our Government restored limits on the transportation of restricted and prohibited firearms within our communities. Individuals must now seek a Chief Firearms Officer’s discretionary authorization to transport these firearms to all places other than a shooting range or home after purchase. Our Government is committed to completing the implementation of former Bill C-71. The regulations on licence verification will protect public safety by reducing the risk of non-restricted firearms being sold or given to anyone that does not possess a valid firearms licence. The Chief Coroner of Ontario specifically requested this change after improper transfers resulted in fatal consequences.The regulations would also require businesses to keep sales and inventory records on non-restricted firearms for at least 20 years. Firearms businesses would hold the records. No information on a non-restricted firearm being transferred would be provided to the Registrar of Firearms; our Government has pledged to not bring back the long-gun registry. Law enforcement would need to have a valid purpose and authorization in order to access the records — such as a judicial production order — for example, to trace a crime gun, or investigate domestic trafficking or straw purchasing. Bill C-71 and its regulations are critical to public safety. But, more is needed. On May 1, 2020, our Government took a bold step by banning over 1,500 models and variants of assault-style firearms. These firearms are designed specifically to kill as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. They have been used in mass shootings in Nova Scotia, Québec City, and Montréal. They have no place in our society. These prohibited firearms can no longer be legally used, sold, or imported. Our Government will take further action to remove these guns from our communities, by making it mandatory for owners to deactivate or surrender these firearms. They pose a risk to the public’s safety that outweighs their continued availability within Canada. All levels of government have a role to play. Our Government is ready to support provinces and communities in taking action to control handguns. We will also provide $250M directly to municipalities and Indigenous communities to support community-based anti-gang programming. Our Government has also made significant investments at our borders — to stop illegal firearms from entering Canada— and in policing — to target trafficking within Canada, and diversion from the legal market through domestic straw purchasing and theft. We invested $125M for the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to enhance firearms investigations and strengthen controls at the border, which resulted in a record number of arrests and firearms seizures at the border in 2021. These investments are part of a larger investment of $358.8M over five years for provinces and territories and enforcement agencies to address firearms and gang violence. Our Government is investing an additional $312M over five years — beginning this year — to better identify, disrupt and prevent firearms from entering the illicit market. We are investing $15M to increase the RCMP’s capacity to trace firearms and $40.3M for anti-smuggling activities, which includes building a national system that allows for the flagging of bulk purchases of firearms. We are also investing $21.6M for the CBSA to enhance its x-ray equipment to detect firearms at land and marine ports and to enable intelligence sharing. These investments will benefit law enforcement agencies across Canada by enabling RCMP and CBSA collaboration with police services to prevent illicit access to firearms through increased investigations and enforcement. Our Government has clearly taken bold action to address firearms and gang violence, and we are committed to doing more. 
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