Evidence of meeting #14 for Public Safety and National Security in the 41st Parliament, 1st 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
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
She relied on the long-gun registry, to her own peril. She did a registry search prior to attending a potential crime scene. The registry indicated that there were no registered weapons at that domicile. She attended and was shot by the occupant, by an unregistered firearm, so there has been at least some evidence that the long-gun registry is relied upon by law enforcement officers to their own peril.
In fact, we haven't heard any evidence in the other direction. In fact, one of the witnesses in the first panel—and a good witness, quite frankly—admitted that you can't prove that the long-gun registry has saved any lives because you cannot prove things that haven't occurred when there are no headlines. I accept the reason why she said that you cannot prove the long-gun registry has saved lives, but nonetheless she admitted that there's no evidence the long-gun registry has saved lives.
But I will ask some questions.
Mister Marchand, if you do not mind, I will ask you my question in English.
You indicated that in your profession, suicide prevention, which I respect, and I think it's a challenging job you have.... But if I heard you correctly, you said you're very concerned that the suicide rate in fact is not going down in Quebec.
Director General, Association québécoise de prévention du suicide
No. In actual fact it has declined since 1999.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Right: so that sort of proves Dr. Langmann's research. The long-gun registry became law in 1995 and there was a delay with respect to implementation, but it has been the law since approximately 2000 that all long arms be registered, and it hasn't done anything to diminish the incidence of suicide in your province. You're confirming that.
November 24th, 2011 / 12:45 p.m.
Director General, Association québécoise de prévention du suicide
Absolutely not. We are saying that although the register came into force in 1995, it took a few years for all its components to be fully implemented. Quebec’s suicide rate began falling in 1999. Between 1999 and 2009, 500 lives were saved. We fail to understand how you can contend that the registry has had no impact.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
I'm confused. Maybe it's an issue of translation. Did you not say in your opening comments that suicide rates in Quebec are not going down?
Director General, Association québécoise de prévention du suicide
No. The suicide rate is going down in Quebec. The actual number and the rate have been dropping since 1999.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Okay. Then I misunderstood you. I apologize.
But you also said something that I know is factually incorrect, and again it might be an issue of translation. You said that assuming Bill C-19 becomes law, it will be no more difficult to buy a firearm than it will be to buy a book at the bibliothèque. That, sir, is not correct. because you know, or you should know—and if you don't know, I'm going to tell you—that nothing in Bill C-19 affects the licensing provisions. An individual would still require a firearms acquisition certificate before he or she purchases either a firearm or ammunition for that firearm.
I need you to reconsider that statement that it is going to be no more difficult to purchase a firearm than it is to purchase a book at the bibliothèque.
Director General, Association québécoise de prévention du suicide
I would refer you to Monday’s Courrier Parlementaire, which reports the exact opposite to what you have just said. These are not my words. It was in the Courrier Parlementaire.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
If you read the bill.... Let me give you a little hint here: not everything the media says is true. If you have read the bill, and the bill is also on public record...there is nothing in Bill C-19 that affects the licensing provisions of firearm acquisition and purchase. It's only the registration.
Ms. Lacasse, you said the same thing. I'm curious, because you're both being put here as witnesses against Bill C-19. Is it really your understanding that, if Bill C-19 passes, purchasing a firearm will be no more difficult than to
to borrow a book from the library?
Main Coordinator, Fédération des femmes du Québec
I would refer you to your own Bill. The Bill will not make it more difficult to obtain a license. However, it will complicate license checks on someone purchasing a firearm. Checks by firearms dealers will not longer be compulsory but optional. Dealers will be able sell guns on the good faith of the customer alone. Those purchasing firearms will no longer be required to produce their license either to prove it is still valid or that they do indeed have one. Consequently, your Bill will be a significant incentive for those, who either should probably not have a firearm or who have been banned by the courts from possessing one, to purchase and trade firearms.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Your interpretation of Bill C-19 differs from mine and certainly from that of those who have drafted it and others who have appeared before that committee, but I'll leave that there.
Dr. Langmann—
Conservative
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Okay. That's fine.
Thank you to all the witnesses for your attendance here today.
NDP
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Dr. Langmann, correct me if I'm wrong, but according to the National Post your study showed that of criminal record checks, 28-day waiting periods, and the long-gun registry, none have done anything to stem Canadian firearm homicide rates. In other words, three pieces of legislation, including the 1977 bill that imposed the requirement for criminal record checks, the 1991 bill that imposed mandatory safety training, and the 28-day waiting period, had no effect. Is that correct, according to your research?
Emergency Medicine Resident, Fellowship Program of the Royal College of Physicians Canada, Division of Emergency Medicine, McMaster University, As an Individual
You can examine the figure yourself, right?
Liberal
Emergency Medicine Resident, Fellowship Program of the Royal College of Physicians Canada, Division of Emergency Medicine, McMaster University, As an Individual
There is no statistical association—
Emergency Medicine Resident, Fellowship Program of the Royal College of Physicians Canada, Division of Emergency Medicine, McMaster University, As an Individual
—between any of this legislation and either an immediate impact or a trend effect post-legislation in the reduction of firearms homicide.
