Public Accounts Committee on Sept. 26th, 2006

[Brian Fitzpatrick, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

I want to make another observation. In 1995 we put into place a system on the pretext that it would prevent these sorts of tragedies that have occurred. And let's be clear: in September of this year, that tragedy did occur, and this system we created did not prevent it from occurring. Let's be clear on that. No matter how you spin it, that's a fact.

The follow-up on the 14-year-old was good police work, quite honestly. They went to the Internet and found the blogs where deranged people were making threats, and that's what they acted on. It was irrelevant whether the firearms in that home were registered or not. It was good police work to identify that 14-year-old by going to the Internet blogs. Too bad they hadn't found the other individual a few weeks before, but we learn from our bad experiences. So I think trying to make that the panacea misses a very important part--the good police work done before we even get to that stage.

I think this is a serious concern. For the police to assume that all the long guns in the country are in that system would be a big mistake. I suggest that in most of the cases this individual has referred to, we're probably talking about guns that were never registered in the system to start with. So I don't really know what that proves.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Is there a comment on that statement or question?

[D/Commr Peter Martin]

I would agree that nothing replaces good police work.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Thank you, Mr. Fitzpatrick.

That concludes the second round. What I'm going to do now is ask the witnesses if they have any concluding statements they want to make.

[Sheila Fraser]

I'd just like to thank the committee for the interest in the report, Mr. Chair, and I look forward to your report on the issues.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Mr. Martin, do you have anything to say?

[D/Commr Peter Martin]

I'd just like to thank the committee for the opportunity to be here and to share with you what we're doing with the registry today.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Mr. Baker, anything? You lived this for three years of your life. Now you're in charge of our tax system....

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[William Baker]

That's right. The only things certain in life are death and taxes, and I'm working both sides.

I want to use this occasion, Mr. Chair, with permission, to thank all of the colleagues I worked with at the Canada Firearms Centre for the hard and excellent work they did in a very difficult program area.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

Mr. Bennett, anything to add?

[Ian Bennett]

I'd just like to say thank you for your interest, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Shawn Murphy]

On behalf of the committee, I want to thank all of the witnesses for such excellent presentations. It is a controversial issue that's been around for a number of years. We will take the auditor's report and we will take the evidence we heard and we will write a report. That will be filed with Parliament in due course.

I want to remind committee members that we're back here at 3:15 on Thursday afternoon. At that time we're going to have the presentation of the Public Accounts of Canada for the fiscal year ending March 31. We'll have the auditor with us and also the Comptroller General.

The meeting is now adjourned.