June 9, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ottawa, ON — Raquel Dancho, Conservative Shadow Minister for Public Safety, and Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative Shadow Minister for Public Services and Procurement, released the following statement after the Liberal government rejected a Conservative motion to adopt common-sense gun safety:
“Conservatives have always supported strong, common-sense gun laws that target criminals and gangs who commit dangerous gun offenses and focus on protecting victims of crime.
“Today, the Trudeau government blocked a common-sense Conservative motion that would immediately pass to the committee stage elements of Bill C-21 that are focused on protecting potential victims of gun crime and tightening up laws that address gun smuggling. This includes ‘red flag’ provisions that may allow law enforcement to remove firearms from a dangerous domestic situation more quickly and more severe penalties for criminals smuggling guns.
“Conservatives proposed splitting these important elements of Bill C-21 in order to review and pass them more quickly, while other aspects of the bill, such as the Liberal ban on pellet guns and additional regulations on Canada’s sport shooting community, can be properly debated.
“Unfortunately, the Trudeau Liberals are more interested in playing division politics than addressing gun violence in Canada. They shamefully blocked our common-sense motion because they were not willing to back down on their political agenda and separate the ineffective and divisive parts of their bill that do nothing to stop gun violence and provide no benefit to vulnerable Canadians.
“We all agree with protecting vulnerable Canadians. There is no reason why they should wait just because the Liberals want to play this selfish game of political theatre. It is clear the Trudeau government cares more about headlines and demonizing Canada’s sport shooters than keeping our communities safe from gun violence.
“Conservatives believe we must ensure at-risk and vulnerable Canadians are protected and that we must target the criminals and gangs responsible for rising gun violence in Canada. We will continue to stay focused on common-sense firearm safety, safer communities, and ensuring there are strong consequences for those who commit gun crime.”

The full text of the motion:
That, given that the debate on combatting gun violence needs to be de-politicized, centred on the rights of victims and the safety of communities, the House call on the Government to divide Bill C-21,An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms),into two parts to allow for those measures where there is broad support across all parties to proceed separately, namely curbing domestic violence and tackling the flow of guns over the Canada-US border, from those aspects of the Bill that divide the House.”

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