Thank you, Chair.
Thank you for the comments.
I think it's important that Canadians understand.... I just heard Mr. Noormohamed, and I trust that he was genuine in moving forward on this bill, but we need to look back at why we had this in the first place.
It's because the Liberals did exactly the opposite. They failed to respect people's rights. They failed to consult indigenous people. They failed to consult with farmers and hunters. They failed to do any of that, and they tried to push some legislation through that didn't go through debate in the House at all. It didn't get studied at committee. It was thrown in at the 11th hour during an amendment in the clause-by-clause phase of this bill. I don't think Canadians will forget that.
I hope there is no iteration of any of what was in G-4—other than ghost guns—and G-46 that comes back under Bill C-21 again. This is because Canadians—where I come from and across the country, and I've heard from thousands of them—have lost trust in this government on this issue and many others. I believe them. I believe these people. I've seen for myself.... I struggle with trusting the motivations behind what comes out of this government's legislation.
If we're talking about true public safety, I don't think there will be any opposition in this committee on matters that actually make a difference for public safety and that target those who are committing crimes in our country. Namely, these are criminals who smuggle their firearms in and use illegal firearms, not those who are part of Canada's law-abiding firearms community.
As we go back into Bill C-21, I am hopeful that we keep in mind the sport shooter community and the airsoft community on some of these amendments that have to happen. I am hopeful, as you said, Mr. Noormohamed, that there is a spirit of co-operation on this committee moving forward on that.
The other thing that I'm struggling with is why we wouldn't want the minister here for a two-hour meeting. I don't think an hour is enough. He's had a significant role to play in this. It's reasonable that he comes to explain why we find ourselves in this spot, and why G-4 and G-46 were pushed forward in the first place.
I don't hold fellow committee members from across the way in contempt because of it. They're doing what their party asked them to do. However, I think the minister needs to answer for what happened and why G-4 and G-46 were put into this bill at the time that they were.
The last thing I would add is that I also support the idea of making good use of our time on Tuesday and Thursday until we can get witnesses here to continue on with this study. The Russia study, as you said, Ms. Damoff, would be an appropriate use of our time.
I think we're going to be hard-pressed to get the witnesses who have to be here in four meetings. There are a lot of them, on all sides of this issue, and I think there will be some great witnesses whom we need to hear from. I'd personally like to see more than four meetings and, certainly, two hours with the minister, not one.
Thank you.