Question Period Note: FIREARMS

Federal efforts to protect Canadians against gun crime.

• Gun crime in Canada is on the rise. Violence through assault-style firearms poses a real and significant public safety risk to many communities, including major metropolitan areas that have experienced mass shootings.

• Protecting Canadians by safeguarding them from assault-style firearms remains a key priority for the Government of Canada.

• Building on the important gun control measures passed into law through former Bill C-71, which received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019, I remain committed to work with the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness to support our platform commitment to reduce violent crime by strengthening gun control.

The regulation of firearms in Canada is a shared responsibility among all levels of government: federal, provincial and municipal. Federal jurisdiction for regulating firearms is through the use of the criminal law power.

Provinces may enact legislation to protect public safety under property and civil rights. The provinces may also pass legislation to enable municipalities to enact bylaws related to firearms, to protect public safety at a local level.

The Minister of Justice is responsible for the Criminal Code. The Minister of Public Safety has the general lead on firearms policy and the Firearms Act. The Firearms Act and the Criminal Code operate in conjunction and provide the legal framework governing the storage, handling and use of firearms.

The Firearms Act and its regulations set out the regulatory framework for the lawful possession and use of firearms by individuals and businesses (under the responsibility of the Minister of Public Safety).

The Criminal Code sets out the range of offences for illegal activities involving firearms and other weapons, many of which carry mandatory minimum penalties. It also includes provisions dealing with the making of prohibition orders, forfeitures, search and seizures, regulation-making powers and the classification of firearms (Firearms are classified as non-restricted (e.g., “long guns”); restricted (e.g., handguns, some semi-automatics rifles); or prohibited (e.g., some handguns and fully automatic firearms).

An Act to amend certain Acts and Regulations in relation to firearms (former Bill C-71) received Royal Accent on June 21 2019 (S.C. 2019, c.9). The Act implemented practical, targeted and measured steps to help keep Canadians safe from firearms-related crime.

Violent offences specific to firearms have increased by 45% since 2013, rising from 1,892 incidents in 2013 to 2,734 incidents in 2017. Gun homicides nearly doubled from 2013 to 2017.

The 2019 Liberal election platform contained a commitment to strengthening gun control measures and reducing violent crime. This commitment includes banning all military-style assault rifles, while continuing to respect law-abiding firearms owners such as hunters, farmers and sport shooters.

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