43rd Parliament223Government response tabledApril 12, 2021432-00565432-00565 (Justice)BobSaroyaMarkham—UnionvilleConservativeONFebruary 25, 2021April 12, 2021February 4, 2021Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS
  • Smuggled firearms make up a significant portion of the firearms used in crime across the country.
  • Criminals caught in knowing possession of smuggled firearms are a threat to public safety but often receive light sentences and are quick to obtain bail.
  • Bill C-238 would increase sentences for those caught in knowing possession of a smuggled weapon and make it more difficult for those charged to be released on bail.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Support and vote to pass Bill C-238 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (possession of unlawfully imported firearms).
  • Support more action being taken to stop the flow of illegal firearms over the border.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency PreparednessSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JOËL LIGHTBOUND, M.P.Our government is committed to ensuring that our border remains open to legitimate trade and travel while closed to those who seek to traffic or smuggle weapons or drugs. Following significant cuts by the previous Conservative government to our security agencies, in the last Parliament our government announced an investment of $327M to combat gun and gang violence, with $86M to prevent cross-border smuggling of illegal firearms. Of this, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is being provided an extra $51.5 million to enhance screening, detection and training around firearms smuggling and $34.5 million for the RCMP’s Integrated Criminal Firearms Initiative to enhance intelligence gathering, technology and investigations. Upon the introduction of new legislation that will strengthen gun control at our borders, we announced additional anti-smuggling investments for the RCMP worth $42.4 million over 5 years, with $6.1 million ongoing. At the same time, for the CBSA we announced enhanced intelligence and investigative capacity of 21.8 million over 5 years, and $3.3 million ongoing for AI threat detection: $1.7 million over 5 years. We welcome the opportunity to discuss ways to prevent cross-border firearms smuggling, considering during C-71 study at SECU, Conservative MPs proposed amendments that proposed there be no punishment for “false statements to procure licences” and “false statements to procure customs confirmations”— meaning, importing or trafficking. https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/SECU/meeting-161/evidence At every point in the travel continuum, the government undertakes activities to prevent the smuggling of illicit firearms. Pre-border, the Government works closely with domestic and international law enforcement agencies to identify and disrupt criminal networks involved in smuggling or facilitating the smuggling of illicit firearms, through intelligence sharing and operations. The CBSA’s National Targeting Center also uses intelligence, information and other indicators to conduct pre-arrival risk assessments on goods and people entering the country to identify high-risk shipments or travelers. If firearms are smuggled into Canada, the CBSA works closely with its law enforcement partners to identify smuggling routes and individuals involved, and lay the appropriate criminal charges after a thorough criminal investigation. Where a foreign national may be involved, the CBSA can also remove the individual from the country as such criminal involvement would likely deem the individual as inadmissible to Canada. From January 1, 2014 to September 6, 2020, the CBSA seized 4263 undeclared firearms at the border. Just recently, we announced that we will be re-establishing the Cross-Border Crime Forum with the U.S. while exploring the creation of a cross-border task force which to address gun smuggling and trafficking. To fight the criminal act of gun smuggling and trafficking at our border, under C-21 we will increase the maximum prison sentence to highlight how serious this offense is. Additionally, we will increase sharing of data between the RCMP and local law enforcement agencies to better prosecute trafficking offences, and will table an annual report for greater transparency and accountability. We welcome the support of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police who “wholeheartedly endorse all efforts to strengthen border controls and impose stronger penalties to combat firearms smuggling and trafficking”. 
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable David LamettiThe Government of Canada is committed to addressing gun crime and strengthening measures to enhance public safety. Reducing firearms smuggling into Canada is a key part of the Government’s fight to reduce access to illegal firearms. Smuggled firearms make their way into the hands of criminals and are often used to commit serious offences tied to organized crime, such as drug trafficking.On February 16, the Government introduced Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms). The proposed reforms are an important component of the Government’s broader approach to combat firearms violence and includes amendments to increase the maximum penalties of imprisonment for firearms trafficking and smuggling and related offences from 10 to 14 years imprisonment.The Government is also implementing effective measures with respect to strengthening firearm regulations and gun and gang initiatives that prioritize public safety. In the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the Government committed $250 million over five years to directly support municipalities and Indigenous communities to help protect Canadians from gun violence and support anti-gang programming and prevention programs for at-risk youth.
FirearmsImportsSentencing
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 25, 2021432-00278432-00278 (Justice)DavidYurdigaFort McMurray—Cold LakeConservativeABNovember 24, 2020January 25, 2021September 18, 2019Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the Undersigned, Residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to stop plans to implement a ban on Handguns in Canada, and instead focus on increasing punishments for violent gun criminals and urban gangs.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency PreparednessSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JOËL LIGHTBOUND, M.P.Canadians deserve to live in a society where they can feel safe and secure from gun violence. The Government ofCanada has prohibited assault-style firearms as they are not reasonable for hunting or sport shooting purposes given theinherent danger that they pose to public safety. The prohibition limits access to the most dangerous firearms that arecharacterized by their design and their capability of inflicting significant harm to Canadians. The prohibition reduces thenumber and availability of assault style firearms and other firearms that exceed safe civilian use in Canada, and lowersthe possibility of these firearms being diverted to the illegal market.For decades chiefs of police had been advocating for additional restrictions, and even a prohibition, of military-style assault rifles. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police previously passed a resolution declaring that military assault rifles were produced for the “sole purpose of killing people in large numbers” and asked the Minister of Justice to “ban all military assault rifles except for law enforcement and military purposes.” Last September the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police expressed support for a prohibition on all military-designed assault rifles, averring that “these weapons have no place in our communities and should be reserved for use by Canada’s military and law enforcement.”The current Chief of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has declared that this prohibition “finds balance” as it “ensures the safety of our members” while not limiting “those that recreationally participate in hunting or those that actually live off the land.”Through Section 117.15 of the Criminal Code, Parliament provides the Government with the authority to prescribe theclassification of firearms. We have exercised that authority to benefit the safety and security of Canadians, within limitsset by Parliament. The affected firearms are prohibited as they (1) have semi-automatic action with sustain rapid-firecapability (tactical/military design with large magazine capacity), (2) are of modern design, and (3) are present in largevolumes in the Canadian market. This authority has existed for decades and has been exercised several times over theyears including by the previous Conservative Government.We have been clear that our prohibition will be fair to law-abiding hunters or sport shooters. We have also signaled ourintent to implement a buyback program that will provide compensation to affected owners. We are looking at a range ofoptions, and will work with Parliament as well as the provinces and territories (PTs) to get this right for law-abiding gunowners and businesses. While the prohibition is a crucial first step, it is only one of a series of measures that we will to take to target firearm related crime in this country. At the first opportunity we will introduce legislation that will strengthen gun control. We intend to introduce a red-flag regime in order to better protect public safety, strengthen firearms storage requirements to deter theft, enhance police tracing capacity, and work with our partners from other levels of government to give municipalities the ability to further restrict handguns.We are also committed to combatting gun-related violence and gang activities and to strengthening border security, andincreasing police anti-gang capacities. This will build on work that is already underway. We announced funding of up to $327.6 million over five years through the Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence (the Initiative) to combat gun-related violence and gang activities, including by supporting law enforcement and community-led projects focused on prevention.More than $200 million is now flowing directly to PTs to target initiatives that best meet the unique needs of individualcommunities to advance efforts in areas of prevention, gang exit, outreach and awareness training as well as enhancedintelligence sharing and law enforcement capacity. With the funding allocations, jurisdictions have made investments tosupport new law enforcement activities including specialized training and education initiatives and improving datacollection and information sharing. PTs have also prioritized a number of prevention intervention initiatives. Building onthese achievements, our Government has committed to investing additional funding to help municipalities meet theneeds of communities at risk to fight gang-related violence and expand diversion programs to keep youth out of thecriminal justice system.The Government knows that the cross-border smuggling of firearms also poses a threat to the safety and security ofCanadians. We are committed to taking action to prevent smuggled guns from entering Canada. We will introducetougher penalties for trafficking and smuggling offences and will continue to make important investments in the CanadaBorder Services Agency (CBSA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to strengthen border controls andreduce the number of guns being smuggled across the our borders. These initiatives will build on work that is alreadyunderway.Following hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to our agencies by the previous Conservative government, we arerebuilding capacity. The CBSA is receiving $51.5 million over five years through the Initiative to Take Action Against Gunand Gang Violence to enhance its capacity to stem the flow of inadmissible travellers and illegal firearms enteringCanada at vulnerable points of entry and through postal facilities. It is also procuring equipment to enhance air cargosecurity and pallet imaging, intelligence collection and production abilities, and improving border operations throughmeasures aimed at enhancing the CBSA’s capacity to detect and interdict illegal firearms at the border. The CBSAcontinues to work with key domestic and US law enforcement partners to generate leads, as well as support and assistwith interdiction efforts.In addition, the RCMP is receiving $34.5 million through the Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence toenhance its capacity to conduct investigations related to the criminal use of firearms as well as to provide lawenforcement with enhanced access to training, technology and data to keep illicit firearms out of Canada and detect andreport on criminal gang activities. The RCMP has created the Integrated Criminal Firearms Initiative to expand andenhance existing services available to support firearms investigations nationwide. This includes providing anonymousonline capabilities to investigate firearms trafficking and smuggling, conducting physical firearms inspections, enhancinganalytical capacity to develop and produce actionable intelligence, and supporting stakeholder outreach among partnersto advance focused initiatives. The RCMP is also prioritizing strategic intelligence analysis related to street gangs and theprocurement of advanced technologies to expedite and further support the analysis of ballistics and illicit manufacturingof firearms.We will continue working to enhance public safety by focusing on prevention, effective law enforcement and strongcommunity partnerships.
FirearmsSentencing
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 25, 2021432-00412432-00412 (Justice)BobSaroyaMarkham—UnionvilleConservativeONDecember 10, 2020January 25, 2021November 3, 2020Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS
  • Smuggled firearms make up a significant portion of the firearms used in crime across the country.
  • Criminals caught in knowing possession of smuggled firearms are a threat to public safety but often receive light sentences and are quick to obtain bail.
  • Bill C-238 would increase sentences for those caught in knowing possession of a smuggled weapon and make it more difficult for those charged to be released on bail.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Support and vote to pass Bill C-238 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (possession of unlawfully imported firearms).
  • Support more action being taken to stop the flow of illegal firearms over the border.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency PreparednessSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Joël Lightbound, M.POur government is committed to ensuring that our border remains open to legitimate trade and travel while closed to those who seek to traffic or smuggle weapons or drugs.Following significant cuts by the previous Conservative government to our security agencies, in the last Parliament our government announced an investment of $327M to combat gun and gang violence, with $86M to prevent cross-border smuggling of illegal firearms. Of this, the CBSA is being provided an extra $51.5 million to enhance screening, detection and training around firearms smuggling and $34.5 million for the RCMP’s Integrated Criminal Firearms Initiative to enhance intelligence gathering, technology and investigations. Additionally, $214M is being provided to the provinces and territories to design and implement strategies, including $65M to the province of Ontario. While the administration of justice falls under the purview of provinces and territories, we note that with these funds, the Ontario Government has funded a bail investigator team in the Peel Region.We welcome the opportunity to discuss mechanisms to discuss ways to prevent cross-border firearms smuggling, considering during C-71 study at SECU, Conservative MPs proposed amendments that would “propose there be no punishment for [many offences which] include “false statements to procure licences”, “false statements to procure customs confirmations”—so, importing or trafficking.”While we look forward to debating this bill further, I would note though that C-238 does not meaningfully address the act of smuggling. Our government has signaled our intention to bring forward legislation that will give us new authorities to keep guns out of the hands of criminals by strengthening penalties for the illegal smuggling of firearms into Canada, as well as the trafficking of firearms through diversion and straw purchasing.At every point in the travel continuum, the government undertakes activities to prevent the smuggling of illicit firearms. Pre-border, the Government works closely with domestic and international law enforcement agencies to identify and disrupt criminal networks involved in smuggling or facilitating the smuggling of illicit firearms, through intelligence sharing and operations. The Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) National Targeting Center also uses intelligence, information and other indicators to conduct pre-arrival risk assessments on goods and people entering the country to identify high-risk shipments or travelers.If firearms are smuggled into Canada, the CBSA works closely with its law enforcement partners to identify smuggling routes and individuals involved, and lay the appropriate criminal charges after a thorough criminal investigation. Where a foreign national may be involved, the CBSA can also remove the individual from the country as such criminal involvement would likely deem the individual as inadmissible to Canada. From January 1, 2014 to September 6, 2020, the CBSA seized 4263 undeclared firearms at the border.We will continue to address the criminal act of firearms smuggling. However, we simply cannot do just half the job. Smuggling is just one way in which firearms are illegally diverted, as they can also be stolen or illegally sold through straw purchasing.Over the years, many Chiefs of Police have warned about these risks. Saskatoon Police Chief Troy Cooper said in an interview that people who use firearms in committing crimes in Saskatchewan obtain them “primarily by theft.” Regina Police Chief Evan Bray said that crime guns are “not being brought in by the United States” but are “coming from break and enters.” Just recently, Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee also declared that “roughly five to 10 per cent of Edmonton’s crime guns are coming across the U.S. border. The remainder have either been acquired legally, obtained through “straw purchasers” or stolen.” And in Ontario, Inspector Chris Renwick told a Crime Prevention board meeting in Ottawa that half the crime guns recovered are from within Canada, usually legally registered but stolen.”Our government will do the work that is needed to address all forms of smuggling.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable David LamettiThe Government of Canada is committed to addressing gun crime and strengthening measures to enhance public safety. Reducing firearms smuggling into Canada is a key part of the Government’s fight to reduce access to illegal firearms. Smuggled firearms make their way into the hands of criminals and are often used to commit serious offences tied to organized crime, such as drug trafficking. That is why the Government has committed to increase the penalties around firearms smuggling as set out in the mandate letter to the Minister of Public Safety.The Government is also implementing effective measures with respect to strengthening firearm regulations and gun and gang initiatives that prioritize public safety. In the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the Government committed $250 million over five years to directly support municipalities and Indigenous communities to help protect Canadians from gun violence and support anti-gang programming and prevention programs for at-risk youth.Private Member’s Bill C-238 proposes a number of changes that raise important criminal law and policy considerations and that implicate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. These issues will be fully examined as part of the Parliamentary process.
FirearmsImportsSentencing
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 25, 2021432-00411432-00411 (Justice)BobSaroyaMarkham—UnionvilleConservativeONDecember 10, 2020January 25, 2021November 3, 2020Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS
  • Smuggled firearms make up a significant portion of the firearms used in crime across the country.
  • Criminals caught in knowing possession of smuggled firearms are a threat to public safety but often receive light sentences and are quick to obtain bail.
  • Bill C-238 would increase sentences for those caught in knowing possession of a smuggled weapon and make it more difficult for those charged to be released on bail.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Support and vote to pass Bill C-238 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (possession of unlawfully imported firearms).
  • Support more action being taken to stop the flow of illegal firearms over the border.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency PreparednessSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Joël Lightbound, M.POur government is committed to ensuring that our border remains open to legitimate trade and travel while closed to those who seek to traffic or smuggle weapons or drugs.Following significant cuts by the previous Conservative government to our security agencies, in the last Parliament our government announced an investment of $327M to combat gun and gang violence, with $86M to prevent cross-border smuggling of illegal firearms. Of this, the CBSA is being provided an extra $51.5 million to enhance screening, detection and training around firearms smuggling and $34.5 million for the RCMP’s Integrated Criminal Firearms Initiative to enhance intelligence gathering, technology and investigations. Additionally, $214M is being provided to the provinces and territories to design and implement strategies, including $65M to the province of Ontario. While the administration of justice falls under the purview of provinces and territories, we note that with these funds, the Ontario Government has funded a bail investigator team in the Peel Region.We welcome the opportunity to discuss mechanisms to discuss ways to prevent cross-border firearms smuggling, considering during C-71 study at SECU, Conservative MPs proposed amendments that would “propose there be no punishment for [many offences which] include “false statements to procure licences”, “false statements to procure customs confirmations”—so, importing or trafficking.”While we look forward to debating this bill further, I would note though that C-238 does not meaningfully address the act of smuggling. Our government has signaled our intention to bring forward legislation that will give us new authorities to keep guns out of the hands of criminals by strengthening penalties for the illegal smuggling of firearms into Canada, as well as the trafficking of firearms through diversion and straw purchasing.At every point in the travel continuum, the government undertakes activities to prevent the smuggling of illicit firearms. Pre-border, the Government works closely with domestic and international law enforcement agencies to identify and disrupt criminal networks involved in smuggling or facilitating the smuggling of illicit firearms, through intelligence sharing and operations. The Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) National Targeting Center also uses intelligence, information and other indicators to conduct pre-arrival risk assessments on goods and people entering the country to identify high-risk shipments or travelers.If firearms are smuggled into Canada, the CBSA works closely with its law enforcement partners to identify smuggling routes and individuals involved, and lay the appropriate criminal charges after a thorough criminal investigation. Where a foreign national may be involved, the CBSA can also remove the individual from the country as such criminal involvement would likely deem the individual as inadmissible to Canada. From January 1, 2014 to September 6, 2020, the CBSA seized 4263 undeclared firearms at the border.We will continue to address the criminal act of firearms smuggling. However, we simply cannot do just half the job. Smuggling is just one way in which firearms are illegally diverted, as they can also be stolen or illegally sold through straw purchasing.Over the years, many Chiefs of Police have warned about these risks. Saskatoon Police Chief Troy Cooper said in an interview that people who use firearms in committing crimes in Saskatchewan obtain them “primarily by theft.” Regina Police Chief Evan Bray said that crime guns are “not being brought in by the United States” but are “coming from break and enters.” Just recently, Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee also declared that “roughly five to 10 per cent of Edmonton’s crime guns are coming across the U.S. border. The remainder have either been acquired legally, obtained through “straw purchasers” or stolen.” And in Ontario, Inspector Chris Renwick told a Crime Prevention board meeting in Ottawa that half the crime guns recovered are from within Canada, usually legally registered but stolen.”Our government will do the work that is needed to address all forms of smuggling.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable David LamettiThe Government of Canada is committed to addressing gun crime and strengthening measures to enhance public safety. Reducing firearms smuggling into Canada is a key part of the Government’s fight to reduce access to illegal firearms. Smuggled firearms make their way into the hands of criminals and are often used to commit serious offences tied to organized crime, such as drug trafficking. That is why the Government has committed to increase the penalties around firearms smuggling as set out in the mandate letter to the Minister of Public Safety.The Government is also implementing effective measures with respect to strengthening firearm regulations and gun and gang initiatives that prioritize public safety. In the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the Government committed $250 million over five years to directly support municipalities and Indigenous communities to help protect Canadians from gun violence and support anti-gang programming and prevention programs for at-risk youth.Private Member’s Bill C-238 proposes a number of changes that raise important criminal law and policy considerations and that implicate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. These issues will be fully examined as part of the Parliamentary process.
FirearmsImportsSentencing
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 25, 2021432-00410432-00410 (Justice)BobSaroyaMarkham—UnionvilleConservativeONDecember 10, 2020January 25, 2021November 3, 2020Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS
  • Smuggled firearms make up a significant portion of the firearms used in crime across the country.
  • Criminals caught in knowing possession of smuggled firearms are a threat to public safety but often receive light sentences and are quick to obtain bail.
  • Bill C-238 would increase sentences for those caught in knowing possession of a smuggled weapon and make it more difficult for those charged to be released on bail.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Support and vote to pass Bill C-238 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (possession of unlawfully imported firearms).
  • Support more action being taken to stop the flow of illegal firearms over the border.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency PreparednessSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Joël Lightbound, M.POur government is committed to ensuring that our border remains open to legitimate trade and travel while closed to those who seek to traffic or smuggle weapons or drugs.Following significant cuts by the previous Conservative government to our security agencies, in the last Parliament our government announced an investment of $327M to combat gun and gang violence, with $86M to prevent cross-border smuggling of illegal firearms. Of this, the CBSA is being provided an extra $51.5 million to enhance screening, detection and training around firearms smuggling and $34.5 million for the RCMP’s Integrated Criminal Firearms Initiative to enhance intelligence gathering, technology and investigations. Additionally, $214M is being provided to the provinces and territories to design and implement strategies, including $65M to the province of Ontario. While the administration of justice falls under the purview of provinces and territories, we note that with these funds, the Ontario Government has funded a bail investigator team in the Peel Region.We welcome the opportunity to discuss mechanisms to discuss ways to prevent cross-border firearms smuggling, considering during C-71 study at SECU, Conservative MPs proposed amendments that would “propose there be no punishment for [many offences which] include “false statements to procure licences”, “false statements to procure customs confirmations”—so, importing or trafficking.”While we look forward to debating this bill further, I would note though that C-238 does not meaningfully address the act of smuggling. Our government has signaled our intention to bring forward legislation that will give us new authorities to keep guns out of the hands of criminals by strengthening penalties for the illegal smuggling of firearms into Canada, as well as the trafficking of firearms through diversion and straw purchasing.At every point in the travel continuum, the government undertakes activities to prevent the smuggling of illicit firearms. Pre-border, the Government works closely with domestic and international law enforcement agencies to identify and disrupt criminal networks involved in smuggling or facilitating the smuggling of illicit firearms, through intelligence sharing and operations. The Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) National Targeting Center also uses intelligence, information and other indicators to conduct pre-arrival risk assessments on goods and people entering the country to identify high-risk shipments or travelers.If firearms are smuggled into Canada, the CBSA works closely with its law enforcement partners to identify smuggling routes and individuals involved, and lay the appropriate criminal charges after a thorough criminal investigation. Where a foreign national may be involved, the CBSA can also remove the individual from the country as such criminal involvement would likely deem the individual as inadmissible to Canada. From January 1, 2014 to September 6, 2020, the CBSA seized 4263 undeclared firearms at the border.We will continue to address the criminal act of firearms smuggling. However, we simply cannot do just half the job. Smuggling is just one way in which firearms are illegally diverted, as they can also be stolen or illegally sold through straw purchasing.Over the years, many Chiefs of Police have warned about these risks. Saskatoon Police Chief Troy Cooper said in an interview that people who use firearms in committing crimes in Saskatchewan obtain them “primarily by theft.” Regina Police Chief Evan Bray said that crime guns are “not being brought in by the United States” but are “coming from break and enters.” Just recently, Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee also declared that “roughly five to 10 per cent of Edmonton’s crime guns are coming across the U.S. border. The remainder have either been acquired legally, obtained through “straw purchasers” or stolen.” And in Ontario, Inspector Chris Renwick told a Crime Prevention board meeting in Ottawa that half the crime guns recovered are from within Canada, usually legally registered but stolen.”Our government will do the work that is needed to address all forms of smuggling.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable David LamettiThe Government of Canada is committed to addressing gun crime and strengthening measures to enhance public safety. Reducing firearms smuggling into Canada is a key part of the Government’s fight to reduce access to illegal firearms. Smuggled firearms make their way into the hands of criminals and are often used to commit serious offences tied to organized crime, such as drug trafficking. That is why the Government has committed to increase the penalties around firearms smuggling as set out in the mandate letter to the Minister of Public Safety.The Government is also implementing effective measures with respect to strengthening firearm regulations and gun and gang initiatives that prioritize public safety. In the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the Government committed $250 million over five years to directly support municipalities and Indigenous communities to help protect Canadians from gun violence and support anti-gang programming and prevention programs for at-risk youth.Private Member’s Bill C-238 proposes a number of changes that raise important criminal law and policy considerations and that implicate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. These issues will be fully examined as part of the Parliamentary process.
FirearmsImportsSentencing
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 13, 2020431-00044431-00044 (Animals)JenicaAtwinFrederictonGreen PartyNBJanuary 29, 2020March 13, 2020Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned Citizens of Canada draw to the attention of the House the following:THAT, WHEREAS animals are sentient beings, capable of feeling pain, and are not property,WHEREAS stray and wild animals are not sufficiently protected by animal cruelty laws under the property section of the Criminal Code,WHEREAS it is imperative that those who abuse animals face conviction and significant penalty, and WHEREAS loopholes in existing legislation too often allow those who abuse animals toe escape penalty, THEREFORE, YOUR PETITIONERS call upon the House of Commons to recognize animals as beings that can feel pain and move animal cruelty crimes from the property section of the Criminal Code, and to strengthen the language of federal animal cruelty in order to close loopholes that allow abusers to escape penalty.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable David LamettiCruelty to animals is a serious issue, and our Government was proud to introduce Bill C-84, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (bestiality and animal fighting) in October 2018, which came into force on June 21, 2019. This Bill amended the Criminal Code to ensure that engaging in any sexual activity with an animal or compelling someone else to engage in such activities, especially a child, is a serious criminal offence. It also expanded the animal fighting provisions to afford equal protection to all animals forced to engage in animal fighting, and broadened the scope of prohibited activities associated with animal fighting. The targeted amendments from this Bill received support from all key stakeholders in the matter, including both animal protection groups and agricultural groups. The Government remains committed to reviewing the need for further amendments to the Criminal Code in order to protect animals better.
Cruelty to animalsSentencing