Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Winkel, we often hear your association or its members say that arresting an honest citizen gun owner is not going to stop a criminal from shooting someone. We tend to agree with you on that. We also agree with you that there is a problem with the trafficking of illegal weapons. That is what is causing deaths and injuries in cities like Montreal right now. We see it a lot in the media.
However, we must not forget that legal weapons remain dangerous and that it is normal and necessary to continue to supervise them. We are not saying that they should be removed everywhere and always, but it is normal to regulate an object that can kill someone, because it is not trivial.
It should be remembered that shootings have been perpetrated by legitimate gun owners. One need only think of Polytechnique, Dawson College or the Quebec City mosque. There have also been shootings in Fredericton, Moncton and Vernon.
Are you aware that militant groups fear that this could happen again and that another legitimate gun owner could do something irreparable?