Foreign Affairs committee  Actually, in terms of meeting with a lot of the foreign affairs ministers, the answer is no.

Foreign Affairs committee  We meet regularly with Minister Toews. We both sit on the firearms advisory committee. As Mr. Torino said, both of us have been on many of these committees, going right back into the Liberal tenure, because we're acknowledged experts in this field.

Foreign Affairs committee  Certainly, Mr. Breitkreuz. The U.S. position in regard to the arms trade treaty has not been fully declared. In looking back at previous references, Ambassador Bolton testified to the United Nations last time that the United States would entertain absolutely no measures whatsoever that would impinge upon their second amendment, which is the right of citizens of the United States to keep and bear arms.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you very much. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for this opportunity to speak to you on a matter of such great concern for over two million Canadians. My name is Tony Bernardo. I'm the acting executive director of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association. I've been an executive member of the World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities since 1997 and have been attending and working at the United Nations since 1998 regarding civilian firearms issues.

Public Safety committee  That's a good question, because nobody has ever made that case. No one has ever said how you get from point a to point b. The case wasn't made when the bill was introduced and it has never been made, from then until now. Criminals still have firearms. Our police friends see this every day.

Public Safety committee  Yes, realistically, you would have to spend at least the same amount of money, and possibly more. Part of the presentation in terms of the relationship between firearms owners and police was on the whole breakdown of trust between the firearms owners of Canada and officialdom, period.

Public Safety committee  They don't put you in jail for not registering your dog; it's just such a bogus argument. We register cars, okay? What impact has the registration of cars had on impaired driving? Zero. Licensing? Sure. You can take away somebody's licence, but you don't take away their car registration.

Public Safety committee  Oh yes, absolutely.

Public Safety committee  It's a very serious criminal offence.

Public Safety committee  Sure.

Public Safety committee  Yes.

Public Safety committee  Four years in jail.

Public Safety committee  No, of course not.

Public Safety committee  Yes. I'll describe the whole process. First of all, when any firearm comes into Canada, right out of the gate it has to be registered with the chief registrar of firearms. All imports and all newly manufactured firearms in Canada still need to be registered.

Public Safety committee  You're welcome.