Evidence of meeting #15 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 amendment.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Okay, good.
I want to make sure that Ms. Hoeppner is feeling okay about our pace as well.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that. I won't submit too much, though. I was somewhat confused by the last ruling, but I very much respect the work your staff has done.
This amendment is specific and targeted. In the current incarnation of the government's attempt to end the long-gun registry, this bill has created some unintentional consequences. Those consequences are significant, serious, and dire. We must reflect for ourselves on what we are doing as parliamentarians. Similar to my colleague Mr. Bevington, I have previously supported the government's effort to end the long-gun registry, under certain conditions. But some of these conditions are being undermined here. This is what we're trying to change.
We need to talk about what guns we're referring to today. That's important. We've often talked about hunters and farmers. The Ruger Mini-14, the Swiss Arms Black Special, and the Steyr HS .50 sniper rifle, which has an effective range of 1,500 metres and pierces Kevlar armour, are not what the hunters and farmers in my part of the world use when they're going after moose or deer. It's clear that the types of weapons we're talking about are intended for one consequence only. You don't buy a sniper rifle that can shoot somebody at 1,500 metres to go out with your friends hunting deer on the weekend. This is a different animal. This is a different gun. The law-abiding hunters and farmers that I represent don't want to be associated with a piece of legislation that would enable anyone to get easier access to these weapons.
This is the amendment we're proposing. There is a clear danger to public safety if this bill is allowed to go ahead unamended.
Conservative
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
I believe so. This is amendment number 5, the licensing loophole.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
You may have numbered them differently from what we had previously.
You called me on NDP-5.
Conservative
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
It's just the numbering sequence we have from your office versus the one we have from ours.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
I think this might be Mr. Harris's reference. Is that correct?
Conservative
NDP
