An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)

This bill was previously introduced in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session.

Sponsor

Bill Blair  Liberal

Status

This bill has received Royal Assent and is, or will soon become, law.

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment amends the Criminal Code to, among other things,
(a) increase, from 10 to 14 years, the maximum penalty of imprisonment for indictable weapons offences in sections 95, 96, 99, 100 and 103;
(b) establish a regime that would permit any person to apply for an emergency prohibition order or an emergency limitations on access order and allow the judge to protect the security of the person or of anyone known to them;
(c) deem certain firearms to be prohibited devices for the purpose of specified provisions;
(d) create new offences for possessing and making available certain types of computer data that pertain to firearms and prohibited devices and for altering a cartridge magazine to exceed its lawful capacity;
(e) include, for interception of private communications purposes, sections 92 and 95 in the definition of “offence” in section 183;
(f) authorize employees of certain federal entities who are responsible for security to be considered as public officers for the purpose of section 117.07; and
(g) include certain firearm parts to offences regarding firearms.
The enactment also amends the Firearms Act to, among other things,
(a) prevent individuals who are subject to a protection order or who have been convicted of certain offences relating to domestic violence from being eligible to hold a firearms licence;
(b) transfer authority to the Commissioner of Firearms to approve, refuse, renew and revoke authorizations to carry referred to in paragraph 20(a) of the Act;
(c) limit the transfer of handguns only to businesses and exempted individuals and the transfer of cartridge magazines and firearm parts;
(d) impose requirements in respect of the importation of ammunition, cartridge magazines and firearm parts;
(e) prevent certain individuals from being authorized to transport handguns from a port of entry;
(f) require a chief firearms officer to suspend a licence if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that the licence holder is no longer eligible for it;
(g) require the delivery of firearms to a peace officer, or their lawful disposal, if a refusal to issue, or revocation of, a licence has been referred to a provincial court under section 74 of the Act in respect of those firearms;
(h) revoke an individual’s licence if there is reasonable grounds to suspect that they engaged in an act of domestic violence or stalking or if they become subject to a protection order;
(i) authorize the issuance, in certain circumstances, of a conditional licence for the purposes of sustenance;
(j) authorize, in certain circumstances, the Commissioner of Firearms, the Registrar of Firearms or a chief firearms officer to disclose certain information to a law enforcement agency for the purpose of an investigation or prosecution related to the trafficking of firearms;
(k) provide that the annual report to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness regarding the administration of the Act must include information on disclosures made to law enforcement agencies and be submitted no later than May 31 of each year; and
(l) create an offence for a business to advertise a firearm in a manner that depicts, counsels or promotes violence against a person, with a few exceptions.
The enactment also amends the Nuclear Safety and Control Act to, among other things,
(a) provide nuclear security officers and on-site nuclear response force members with the authority to carry out the duties of peace officers at high-security nuclear sites; and
(b) permit licensees who operate high-security nuclear sites to acquire, possess, transfer and dispose of firearms, prohibited weapons and prohibited devices used in the course of maintaining security at high-security nuclear sites.
The enactment also amends the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to
(a) designate the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness as the Minister responsible for the establishment of policies respecting inadmissibility on grounds of transborder criminality for the commission of an offence on entering Canada;
(b) specify that the commission, on entering Canada, of certain offences under an Act of Parliament that are set out in the regulations is a ground of inadmissibility for a foreign national; and
(c) correct certain provisions in order to resolve a discrepancy and clarify the rule set out in those provisions.
Finally, the enactment also amends An Act to amend certain Acts and Regulations in relation to firearms so that certain sections of that Act come into force on the day on which this enactment receives royal assent.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Votes

May 18, 2023 Passed 3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)
May 18, 2023 Failed Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms) (recommittal to a committee)
May 17, 2023 Passed Concurrence at report stage of Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)
May 17, 2023 Passed Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms) (report stage amendment)
May 17, 2023 Passed Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms) (report stage amendment)
May 17, 2023 Failed Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms) (report stage amendment)
June 23, 2022 Passed C-21, 2nd reading and referral to committee - SECU
June 23, 2022 Failed C-21, 2nd reading - amendment
June 23, 2022 Failed 2nd reading of Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms) (subamendment)
June 21, 2022 Passed Time allocation for Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

June 23rd, 2022 / 3:30 p.m.
See context

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

I declare the amendment defeated.

The next question is on the motion.

If a member of a recognized party present in the House wishes to request a recorded division or that the motion be adopted on division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.

The hon. government whip.

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

June 23rd, 2022 / 3:35 p.m.
See context

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

Mr. Speaker, warm best wishes to you and all colleagues.

I believe that if you seek it, you will find agreement to apply the result from the previous vote to this vote, with Liberal members voting yes.

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

June 23rd, 2022 / 3:35 p.m.
See context

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives agree to apply the vote and will be voting against the motion.

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

June 23rd, 2022 / 3:35 p.m.
See context

Bloc

Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the results of the previous vote and will be voting in favour.

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

June 23rd, 2022 / 3:35 p.m.
See context

NDP

Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC

Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour.

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

June 23rd, 2022 / 3:35 p.m.
See context

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, the Greens agree to the application of the vote and will be voting yes.

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

June 23rd, 2022 / 3:35 p.m.
See context

Independent

Kevin Vuong Independent Spadina—Fort York, ON

Mr. Speaker, I agree to apply the results of the previous vote and will be voting in favour.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #174

Criminal CodeGovernment Orders

June 23rd, 2022 / 3:35 p.m.
See context

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

I declare the motion carried.

Accordingly, the bill stands referred to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security.

(Bill read the second time and referred to a committee)