Evidence of meeting #18 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 firearm.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Since you didn't survey them last year and it wasn't even in your survey in 2004, how can you tell this committee that you represent the opinions of 41,000 front-line officers?
President, Canadian Police Association
We have 29 board members around the board table. Those active police officers all represent different groups right across Canada, from Vancouver to Winnipeg to Toronto to Halifax.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
So you represent the opinions of the presidents of the associations, not of the front-line members?
President, Canadian Police Association
Those presidents in turn--and I believe there was a question from Mr. Holland earlier--are elected by their members at large.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Did any of them survey their members, except in Saskatchewan?
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Dr. Drummond, the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians opposes Bill C-391 and supports the gun registry. Your organization is just one of many medical and health organizations that also oppose it. Can you tell me what other organizations oppose it?
Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians
Sure, fair enough.
As you know, last week a broad group of health professionals presented an open letter to members of Parliament in support of the gun registry. That group included 28 medical and nursing associations, as well as some fairly pre-eminent health professionals.
We're front-line workers. We see this stuff. When we hear of the whole crime control thing, it just doesn't make a lot of sense to us as health professionals. We see this actually as a health prevention bill, a health safety bill.
Besides the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, I know that the Trauma Association of Canada and the National Emergency Nurses Affiliation have some support, and we promote injury prevention and the gun control bill. Many organizations--suicide prevention agencies, nurses' unions, public health associations, front-line emergency workers--have come together in support of this particular position.
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
Would it be fair to say that essentially all health care providers and organizations support the gun registry?
Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians
No, I don't think that would be fair to say. I don't believe, for instance, that the Canadian Medical Association has a position on the gun registry whatsoever. Even within an individual association you're going to hear people who have differing views.
However, Carolyn and I represent the board of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians and our 1,800 members. We are historically unified in our support for better gun control in Canada to reduce the human toll of firearms deaths in our emergency departments.
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
Are there any mental health or health organizations that you're aware of that have formally come out in favour of eliminating the gun registry?
Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians
I believe there's a suicide prevention agency in Quebec that's been firmly in support of this.
Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians
I'm not a good listener. Just ask my wife.
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
Have any mental health or health organizations come out saying that the gun registry should be ended?
Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians
Personally, I'm not aware of any having done so.
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
Mr. Momy, do you know which government put in place the amnesty that my friend across the table was speaking of?
President, Canadian Police Association
Was it the the Conservative government?
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
Right.
Now, I want to give you some examples—and I did this last day as well—of how I believe the registry assists. I would like you to go through these with me.
Let's take court orders. If a judge makes a court order that police officers are to go into a residence and remove firearms and the registry indicates that there are—and I'll use the same example as last time—13 firearms in the home, is it not helpful to the police officers, if they have found 10, to know that there should be at least three others and that they should keep looking?
President, Canadian Police Association
It's the same as with any other evidence. We're going to keep on looking, absolutely. We don't depend 100% on any tool that we have at our disposal. As a police officer, you make absolutely sure; in a case like the one you've just provided, you will continue to search, but it's a helpful tool that assists police in garnering the proper information to appear before a judge to get a warrant. In a prohibition scenario, we would certainly continue searching the house.
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
If there were no registry and you had no ability to know how many guns were supposedly in a house, you would search, you would do your best, and you would find what you would find, but if there is a registry, as there is now, and it says there are at least 13 guns and you have found only 10, you will positively know that you must keep looking. I know you're going to keep looking and do your very best--I agree--but you're going to keep looking for at least three more, because you know there are supposed to be three more, correct?
