COVID-19 Pandemic Committee on June 2nd, 2020

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

I know that poultry, egg and milk producers work extremely hard. Our commitment to them in terms of compensation in response to the three free-trade agreements is still firm. At the moment, we are concentrating on emergency programs. We will then proceed with that compensation.

[The Acting Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Mr. Lehoux, you have about 30 seconds left.

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

As I see it, I still have not had an answer.

The country is moving towards more automation. I am thinking, for example, about the advances that many SMEs and farmers in my constituency could implement in their companies. Unfortunately, in the regions, the Internet is far from adequate.

When will I be able to tell my constituents that reliable Internet service will be available in their homes?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

I assure you that we recognize the importance of the Internet in rural regions. I myself represent a rural constituency and it is a challenge every day. We are working with our colleagues, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry and the Minister of Rural Economic Development to speed up the implementation of programs along those lines.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We'll now proceed to Mr. Motz.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Mr. Chair, for the Minister of Public Safety, Minister Blair, how many times has the list of banned firearms changed since May 1?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

My understanding is that an order in council was made on May 1, and we have not made any changes to that order in council.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

That's untrue.

How many more firearms have been added to the original prohibited list since that date?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I suspect the member may be referring to the work that the RCMP has been doing through the Canadian firearms program in order to apply the order in council that was passed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Before we go to Mr. Motz, I want to ask all honourable members to ensure that they are on mute. We are getting some voices in the background.

Mr. Motz, please continue.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

How many .22 calibre rifles, firearms, are on that banned list?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

To be very clear, Mr. Chair, the banned list includes a number of assault-style rifles, including the AR-15. The member may be referring to a weapon that the RCMP has identified as using an AR-15 frame, which of course—

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Again, that is a wrong answer, Mr. Chair.

How many shotguns are now on that banned list?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

That is a bit of confusion put out by the gun lobby to frighten hunters. In fact, we did not prohibit any shotguns.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Again, that is another untruth, Mr. Chair.

Are there any airsoft guns on the prohibited list?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

That's another bit of mistruth and deception put out by the gun lobby. In fact, there was a weapon called the Blackwater AR-15, which was a real gun that was prohibited, but the toy gun, the airsoft one, was not.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

That's untrue. I know some of those exact firearms that are on that list.

Why is the RCMP continuing to add firearms to the prohibited list after the list was published?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Mr. Chair, it is a very important that the RCMP, as the agency responsible for administering the Canadian firearms program, continues to do its diligence to keep Canadians safe.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Why has there been no notice given to firearms owners, retailers or the police of the many changes to the banned firearms list?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Again, Mr. Chair, it is very important that the Canadian firearms program and the RCMP continue to do the important work of ensuring that Canadians are kept safe.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

How many firearms have been transferred between licensed gun owners and/or retailers since May 1?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Again, I do not have that information and, as the member probably knows, records are not kept by the government or by law enforcement about the transfer of firearms that are not restricted.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

How many firearms have been retroactively changed to “prohibited” since May 1? Of the firearms that have been transferred, how many now are retroactively prohibited since May 1?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Mr. Chair, to be very clear, on May 1, by order in council, we prohibited 1,500 somewhat different types of firearms, all based upon a military design. Those are the weapons that are prohibited.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Since that time you have added almost 700 more, and none of those meet that category you are trying to establish.

If a firearm that was not on the original prohibited list was transferred since May 1 and now that firearm appears on that prohibited list, are those transfers subject to a criminal prosecution?