SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 73

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 17, 2022 10:00AM
  • May/17/22 2:19:54 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-5 
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government's approach to justice reform has been an abject failure. It prioritized the wants of offenders over the needs of victims. There has been a consistent increase in the amount and severity of crime since the government took office, especially in Liberal ridings. Bill C-5 continues to gut our justice system by removing minimum penalties for criminals who commit serious gun crimes. When will the Prime Minister finally admit his plan is not working, change course and stand up for victims instead of criminals?
90 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/17/22 2:20:59 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is mind-boggling that the Prime Minister thinks that gangsters who use guns on our streets do not deserve jail time. Conservatives know for a fact that law-abiding firearms owners are among the least likely people to commit an offence with a firearm. The original long-gun registry was a $1-billion boondoggle that did nothing to enhance public safety. This new Liberal backdoor registry will not either. Why will the government not focus on criminals and smugglers and leave law-abiding Canadians alone?
88 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/17/22 2:21:35 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, coming out of the events last weekend in Buffalo and seeing this country suffer from numerous tragedies involving gun violence, we took the extraordinary step of banning AR-15s, because they are designed to do one thing and that is to kill people. We have banned those assault rifles, and now we are committed to buying them back. Our plan was backed by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. What is the Conservatives' plan? It is to make those AR-15s legal again. It is shocking. On this side, we will continue to make sure that we take the steps necessary to keep Canadians safe.
108 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/17/22 2:22:15 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, a database with Canadians' personal information attached to a unique identifying number attached to the serial number of a firearm and administered by the firearms registrar is a gun registry. We know the Prime Minister does not think much about Canadians who support legal firearms ownership, but we are not fools. What is foolish is gutting penalties for criminals who steal firearms, possess stolen firearms, traffic in firearms or smuggle firearms. Could the Prime Minister explain why he has such a vendetta against target shooters in Estevan while he lets gun-wielding criminals run free in ridings his backbenchers represent?
102 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/17/22 2:22:57 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, just last week, we introduced a stronger ID verification for gun purchases and require businesses to keep records of gun sales, which they are already doing. We have heard from some of those businesses, and they say this is common sense. Now police will be able to better investigate fraud and locate criminals who steal or try to engage in straw purchasing, which is a legitimate concern. The Conservatives can spin all they want, but Canadians see through it because they have no credibility when it comes to fighting against gun crime.
94 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/17/22 2:31:32 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-5 
Mr. Speaker, the minister is deliberately conflating two different matters. We are talking about Bill C‑5, which would change the law so that the offences of using a firearm during a robbery, discharging a firearm with intent or being in possession of an unlawful firearm will no longer carry a minimum sentence. Street gangs are making fools of us all. This is sheer hypocrisy. Can the minister talk about Bill C‑5 and stop talking about the other gun problem?
85 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/17/22 2:33:42 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the fact is that violent crime and gun crime have gone up significantly. Gangs and criminals are running rampant in our streets. Canadians are seeing it with with their own eyes on the news every day. What is the Liberals' response to this? On one hand, they are eliminating mandatory prison time for criminals who commit dangerous crimes with guns, and on the hand, they are doubling down on restrictions for licensed, trained and vetted law-abiding Canadians, with a new backdoor registry that will do nothing to deal with the real problem, which is gun smuggling and gang activity in our cities. When will the Liberals start focusing on the real problem?
115 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/17/22 2:34:21 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am wondering when the Conservatives are going to understand what it takes to keep Canadians safe as it relates to gun violence. That means introducing common-sense measures to make sure that guns do not fall into the hands of the wrong people. That means making sure that we support law enforcement so we can stop illegal trafficking at the border. That means making sure that we invest in our communities so we can prevent gun crime from occurring in the first place. The Conservatives are weak, weak, weak on all of those measures.
97 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/17/22 2:35:07 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's targeting of law-abiding firearms owners is actually making our country less safe. Since becoming Prime Minister, we have seen an increase in gang-related homicides committed with firearms and a decrease in penalties for those convicted of gun crimes. Instead of going after the bad guys, he is going to spend limited taxpayer dollars to rebuild the Liberal long-gun registry that goes after the good guys. Why does the Prime Minister continue to target law-abiding Canadians instead of criminals?
88 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/17/22 2:37:08 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government's ideological failure on firearms and public safety continues. Their misguided targeting of law-abiding and legal gun owners is now focused on the implementation of another attempt at a gun registry rather than on criminals who illegally obtain firearms that are smuggled into this country to kill on our streets. The government has shifted from their self-proclaimed evidence-based decision-making to decision-based evidence-making. When will the minister finally wake up to the fact that his failures are costing Canadians lives?
90 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/17/22 2:38:22 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, with respect, I have visited my hon. colleague's riding. I have met with the law-abiding shooters and hunters, and we have great respect for those individuals because we know they value safety. The measures we have introduced are common sense. They are about making sure that guns do not fall into the hands of the wrong people, including criminals. The measures we have introduced on this side of the House ensure that AR-15s have no place in our communities. The measures we have introduced on this side of the House are to invest in communities and prevent gun crime from occurring in the first place. I wish my hon. colleague would support those measures. It is the right thing to do.
126 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/17/22 2:58:56 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, there are laws for the prosecution of criminal organizations. There are tools to support the good work of police forces, for conducting investigations on the ground and for reassuring everyone that we can ensure public safety. On this side of the House, we will continue with a comprehensive strategy for fighting gun violence. We will be working with the Bloc and all members of the House on that.
70 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border