Debates of May 19th, 2006

The Speaker Peter Milliken

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister.

Jason Kenney Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows full well that the gun registry is a federal matter and not a provincial one. Nonetheless, the Minister of Public Safety will work very closely with his provincial counterparts, including the ministers from Quebec and Ontario.

I find it quite odd that a Liberal member is asking a question about this registry, which is a colossal failure and cost over a billion dollars. According to the hon. member for Outremont, this money should be spent on the health of Canadians, and the police—

The Speaker Peter Milliken

The hon. member for Rivière-du-Nord.

Monique Guay Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the government that the Auditor General said, and I quote, “We did not examine the effectiveness of the Canadian Firearms Program or its social implications”.The governments of Quebec and Ontario, police associations and victims' rights groups, not to mention 76% of Quebeckers, want the firearms registry to be maintained.

Is the Minister of Public Safety planning to abandon his dogmatic approach and, along with the vast majority of the population, recognize the usefulness of the firearms registry, and—

The Speaker Peter Milliken

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister.

Jason Kenney Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I am sure that as taxpayers, Quebeckers—like all Canadians—do not want their money wasted. The firearms registry was a huge waste of money, a waste of over $1 billion dollars, according to the Auditor General.

That is why the government will focus on fighting organized crime and gun related crime. This is why we will keep the handgun registry and increase prison terms for such crimes.

Monique Guay Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Mr. Speaker, the registry helps saves lives, and that is what matters.

Police forces consult the registry over 6,500 times a day, and they were the first to say that the registry is an essential tool for ensuring public safety.

The minister says he wants to improve safety on city streets, so why is he so dead set against a registry that, as everyone knows, helps meet this goal?

Jason Kenney Calgary Southeast, AB

Mr. Speaker, this government's priority is to protect our fellow citizens against crime, against violent crime, and against gun related crime.

The point of our public safety policy is not really to go after duck hunters who use long guns. That is why, instead of spending $1 billion on this registry, we will introduce a real policy against crimes committed with guns, especially handguns.

Rona Ambrose Minister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, Canada, like many other countries that are involved in the Kyoto talks, has taken the position that there needs to be an assessment of the Kyoto protocol at this point, particularly in light of the fact that under the Liberals we were 35% above target.

I would like the hon. member to know that just yesterday one of the most well respected scientists in Quebec, Dr. Claude Villeneuve, actually said that the plan the Liberals had was doomed to fail, and all experts knew this, and he looks forward to seeing what our party is bringing forward.

Pauline Picard Drummond, QC

Mr. Speaker, the minister praises the Asia-Pacific partnership. However, the experts say that this agreement is based solely on goodwill, that it does not establish any constraints, deadlines or financial framework.

Will the minister recognize, as do the experts, that in the end this agreement is nothing but a sham.

Rona Ambrose Minister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member might like to think about what she said in the question, because Japan is actually one of the key players in the Asia-Pacific partnership, a partnership that she just called an impostor. Some of the largest players on climate change are part of the Asia-Pacific partnership. Right now Canada is focused on our own domestic plan, but yes, countries such as Japan, Australia and the United States have asked Canada to consider participating.

Joe Comartin Windsor—Tecumseh, ON

Mr. Speaker, the government's gun registry scheme is making an end run around democracy and this Parliament. It does subvert democracy, but I think more important at this point is that it is going to cost millions and millions of taxpayers' dollars, because the government is intent on going ahead outside of the democratic process.

The Conservatives will not bring the legislation forward because they know that if they bring the legislation forward, and they know they have to, they know they are probably going to lose it in the House. They are not going to get the approval of the House.

Will the government table the legislation immediately and will it commit today to abide by the result of the vote on that legislation?

Jason Kenney Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I find it curious that a member of the NDP is complaining about the concrete steps taken by this government to stop the waste represented by the long gun registry, which involved over $1 billion to pursue law-abiding hunters and firearms owners.

He should perhaps consult his own member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley, who said that “the gun registry has not been a positive solution for Canadians” and that “it has faltered as a tool to stop the use of guns for criminal ends. Meanwhile, it has unfairly targeted people who use firearms lawfully”.

Does he agree with his colleague?