Bill C-21 (Historical)

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

This bill is from the 44th Parliament, 1st session, which ended in January 2025.

Sponsor

Status

This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament has also written a full legislative summary of the bill.

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.

Similar bills

C-21 (43rd Parliament, 2nd session) An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)

Elsewhere

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

Bill numbers are reused for different bills each new session. Perhaps you were looking for one of these other C-21s:

C-21 (2016) Law An Act to amend the Customs Act

C-21 (2014) Law Red Tape Reduction Act

C-21 (2011) Political Loans Accountability Act

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 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)

Debate Summary

This is a computer-generated summary of the speeches below. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.

Bill C-21 aims to reduce gun violence through several measures: implementing a national freeze on handgun sales and transfers, establishing "red flag" and "yellow flag" laws allowing for firearm removal in threatening situations, increasing penalties for firearms smuggling and trafficking, and prohibiting replica firearms. Some argue the bill focuses too much on legal gun owners and not enough on illegal gun crime, while others highlight the bill's importance in preventing gun violence, particularly in cases of domestic abuse and mental health crises. The bill seeks to address both domestic diversion of legal firearms and illegal smuggling across borders.

Liberal

National handgun freeze: Bill C-21 would introduce a national freeze on handguns, preventing anyone from buying, selling, transferring, or importing them, with limited exceptions for law enforcement, security, and international competitions. The goal is to cap the market and halt the growth of handguns in Canada, which has been linked to an increase in gun violence and homicides.
Combating organized crime: The bill aims to combat organized crime by raising the maximum sentences for illegal gun smugglers and traffickers at the border from 10 to 14 years, sending a clear message that they face greater risks of stiffer penalties. It also grants new investigatory powers to police by adding to the eligible offenses under the Criminal Code under the specific category of firearms offenses.
Addressing gender-based violence: Bill C-21 introduces red flag laws, allowing anyone to ask a court to seize guns or suspend licenses of individuals posing a threat to themselves or others, with amendments to protect the applicant's identity. It also introduces yellow flag laws that would limit the discretion of authorities by requiring the automatic revocation of the gun licence of anybody who was subject to a restraining order or would be subject to a restraining order in the future.
Broader gun control strategy: Bill C-21 is part of a broader strategy that includes a national ban on AR-15s, a mandatory buyback program for assault-style rifles, strengthened background checks, and the $250-million building safer communities fund to address the root causes of gun crime. Members asserted that the government's approach does not target law-abiding gun owners and that the intent is to reduce illegal and unsafe gun ownership and use.

Conservative

Ineffective and misdirected: Conservative members argue that Bill C-21 is an incompetent, misdirected attack on law-abiding citizens that is too soft on criminals. They say it is a vendetta against Canadians and believe that the bill will actually make Canadians less safe.
Faulty data: Members argue that the government does not have the data to support the claim that the bill will reduce gun violence. They say there is missing and conflicting data on where guns used in crimes come from, whether they were stolen, straw purchased, or smuggled in from the U.S.
Punishing law-abiding citizens: Members state that the bill targets only legal gun owners and law-abiding citizens who have been vetted and background-checked. They argue that it is not the criminals in Toronto who are impacted, but the sport shooting community.
Border security focus: Members suggest that the government should focus on border security and invest in technology and personnel to stop the smuggling of guns from the United States. They say that the government should work with the U.S. to stop the flow of illegal guns.
Divide and control: The bill is another attempt to control law-abiding Canadians and that the Prime Minister wants to weaponize issues to stigmatize and divide Canadians. They note the Prime Minister's hypocrisy, and what they say is a willingness to compromise the independence of the RCMP for political interests.

NDP

Support sending bill to committee: The NDP supports sending Bill C-21 to committee for further review and refinement. Members have questions and concerns that they hope will be addressed during the committee process.
Address root causes of gun violence: Gun violence is a multifaceted issue influenced by poverty, inequality, racism, mental health, social isolation, substance abuse, and extremist ideologies. Comprehensive solutions must include data collection, research, prevention, intervention, and collaboration across government, law enforcement, and civil society.
Balance gun control with responsible ownership: The NDP acknowledges the concerns of legal gun owners, particularly in rural ridings, while also recognizing the need to address gun violence, especially in cases of domestic violence. They strive to balance responsible gun ownership with measures to enhance public safety.
Airsoft and replica firearms: The NDP is concerned about the potential impact of Bill C-21 on the airsoft community and related businesses, emphasizing the need for consultation and a workable solution that balances safety concerns with recreational activities. There are also concerns about the potential for airsoft weapons to be altered to hold real ammunition.

Bloc

Supports the bill: The Bloc Québécois views Bill C-21 as a step in the right direction, especially since the previous version was unsatisfactory to both sides of the debate. However, they believe the bill requires improvements through amendments, and does not go far enough.
Focus on illegal weapons: A primary concern for the Bloc is the prevalence of illegal firearms used by criminal groups, particularly in the Montreal area. They believe that Bill C-21 does not adequately address the illegal arms trade or provide sufficient tools for police to combat gun smuggling across borders.
Assault weapon definition: The Bloc criticizes the government's approach to banning assault weapons, favoring a clear definition of “prohibited assault weapon” in the Criminal Code over a case-by-case listing of models. They believe that the current approach does not stop manufacturers from adapting their designs to circumvent the regulations.
Organized crime registry: To combat gun violence, the Bloc Québécois proposes Bill C-279 to establish a list of criminal organizations, similar to the list of terrorist entities, in order to crack down on criminal groups. They view this as a tool to help provide police officers with more means to act.
Border security shortcomings: The Bloc is critical of the federal government's handling of border security and believes that the government isn't managing their jurisdiction. They emphasize the need for increased resources and expanded mandates for border services to combat gun smuggling and better patrol the border between official points of entry.

Green

Supports key provisions: May believes Bill C-21 could have saved lives in instances like the Nova Scotia shooting, particularly with provisions allowing ex parte motions based on concerns about individuals threatening others. She emphasizes the importance of these measures in cases of potential violence, including intimate partner violence.
Expresses concern over rushed process: May voices concern over the invocation of time allocation, arguing that the bill is complex and requires thorough study. She emphasizes the need for more time to debate, study, and seek consensus, especially given the government's own changes to the bill since its previous version.
Process improvement suggestions: To improve the legislative process, May suggests banning the practice of reading speeches to encourage more genuine debate among fewer MPs. She also proposes increasing the number of sitting days to allow for more thorough consideration of legislation.

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