Evidence of meeting #15 for Public Safety and National Security in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was gun.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Alok Mukherjee  Secretary-Treasurer, Canadian Association of Police Boards
Carol Allison-Burra  Director, Canadian Association of Police Boards
Commissioner William Sweeney  Senior Deputy Commissioner, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Superintendent Marty Cheliak  Director General, Canadian Firearms Program, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Paulette Senior  Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Canada
Rick Hanson  Chief of Police, Calgary Police Service

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz

Mr. Rathgeber.

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the witnesses.

Very quickly, Deputy Commissioner Sweeney, you indicated that a committee had been formed with chiefs of police concerning policies regarding Bill C-391.

I understand, Superintendent Cheliak, you've been meeting with some of the chiefs of police. I understand you were in Saskatoon last month and are headed to Winnipeg later this week and perhaps to Estevan later on this month.

5:20 p.m.

C/Supt Marty Cheliak

Yes, that's correct.

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB

It's fair to say that you're advocating for continued and increased use of registration of long guns and the police officers checking the firearms database?

5:20 p.m.

C/Supt Marty Cheliak

I'm going to all the provincial associations and police association meetings, including the CAPC, to promote the Canadian firearms program, to introduce the program, how we manage it, and what the impact of it is.

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB

Okay. We're looking at a deck that I understand has been used, and it indicates that effective gun control, in your view, relies upon regulatory licensing and registration of all firearms. I'm looking at page 6. You'll recognize this document.

5:20 p.m.

C/Supt Marty Cheliak

That's correct.

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB

Okay. I've looked at this entire deck, and I'm curious as to why police chiefs need education on the benefits of the current firearms registry.

5:20 p.m.

C/Supt Marty Cheliak

The program is very new to the RCMP. It was transferred over to the RCMP from the Department of Justice in 2006. During that transitional period, in 2008 the firearms support services directorate, or the operational component of the RCMP's firearms service delivery, was amalgamated with the licensing and registration portion to form the Canadian firearms program.

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB

So you'll agree with me that the new Canadian firearms program is a program that many chiefs of police are not entirely familiar with?

5:20 p.m.

C/Supt Marty Cheliak

That's correct.

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB

You agree with me that their so-called unified position in support of the firearms registry and their opposition to Bill C-391 are not particularly well based in any foundation?

5:25 p.m.

C/Supt Marty Cheliak

I think that's a question that would be best asked to and answered by Chief Bill Blair, who is the president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB

I will ask him that.

Now, with 11,000 hits per day to the Canadian firearms registry online, I understand if Bill C-391 were to become law, it is only serial numbers and certificate numbers that would no longer be accessible. You'd still be able to search by name, address, licence number, or telephone number. Is that correct?

5:25 p.m.

C/Supt Marty Cheliak

No, the information would not be available, or it would be dated relative to the number of firearms or the types of firearms.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB

The vast majority of queries are by name--7,600 out of 11,000 per day.

5:25 p.m.

C/Supt Marty Cheliak

That's correct.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB

You'd still be able to search by name, because the person would have to have a licence.

5:25 p.m.

C/Supt Marty Cheliak

You could determine if they had a licence, but you would not be able to determine what firearms were associated with that person.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB

But would you be able to search my name?

5:25 p.m.

C/Supt Marty Cheliak

Yes, I would.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz

You'll have to put your final question.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB

Thank you.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz

Okay. We have three or four minutes left.

Mr. Kania, you indicated you wanted to...?

Mr. Wrzesnewskyj.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON

Yes, thank you, Chair.

Following on the comments from Mr. MacKenzie that it would be great to have extra time to put queries to these witnesses, and in consideration that we started approximately 10 minutes late, and since we also gave Ms. Hoeppner a little extra time, I would like to move that we be provided the time to do one additional full round of questions from each of the parties.