Evidence of meeting #166 for Public Safety and National Security in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cbsa.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Mr. Motz, if you want to ask your question, ask your question, and then let the minister finish his answer. Then you can go back to asking another question.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
Minister, can you describe the difference between an AR-15, which is currently restricted in this country, and the WK180-C?
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Okay, there's a specific question. A specific answer, if you may, please.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
Frankly, I don't consider myself an expert in the classification of those firearms, although I am familiar with both. I don't know whether any of the other witnesses has the expertise to define it. As you know, the classification is determined now by the RCMP.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Okay, we now have a specific answer to a specific question.
The second specific question.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
Let me answer the question for you. They are virtually the same firearm. They fire a .223 round. They have the same operational mechanisms. The only difference is—and I'm glad you identified the idea of classifications; the Canadian public wants firearms classified by what they can do, not by what they look like, and that challenge has been ongoing. Bill C-71 is a prime example. We need facts to guide these decisions, not cosmetics, Mr. Minister.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Excuse me, Mr. Motz.
Does the Minister wish to respond to Mr. Motz's comment?
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
Some rumours have been floating around over the last while about your government's plans to ban firearms, ranging from banning specific firearms to banning semi-automatic firearms, to handguns.
So I have a simple yes or no question. Will an order in council be issued banning certain classes of firearms?
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
Mr. Motz, I don't normally respond to rumours. What we are—
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
That's not a rumour. I'm asking a direct question.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Mr. Motz, you've asked a specific question. It took you half a minute to do that. I should allocate similar time to Minister Blair to respond to your question.
June 3rd, 2019 / 5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
We are looking at all the measures that we believe could help keep Canadians safe, and we are examining the right way to deal with those measures.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
So no order in council is being planned. Do you have a different plan to ban firearms, as you've indicated?
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Okay, that's the end of that question.
Briefly respond to Mr. Motz, and then he has finished his five minutes.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
I have a plan to examine every way in which we can keep Canadians safe.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
Thank you.
Mr. Minister, as you know, I'm a rural Canadian who has firearms in the house and I fire them from time to time. The last time I fired an AR-15 was only a month ago, so I want to put that in perspective.
What are you doing to protect lawful users of firearms going forward?