Thank you to the member opposite for your passionate words. I hear what you're saying, Ms. Damoff. We've sat here through I don't know how many meetings and hours. There have been a lot. You mentioned a couple of groups, Ms. Damoff, who were supportive, but we have pages and pages and have heard testimony from stakeholders who almost unanimously feel as though the red flag measures are going to be costly, ineffective and redundant.
I do have to rely on my good colleague Mr. Motz, who has been in policing for 35 years, and I'm sure Mr. Chiang has a lot more information and expertise on this than I do, as, quite frankly, maybe a lot of people around this table do. I can't speak for everybody, but we have to rely on them and we have to make our best decisions on the information that we've been given. If we don't listen to the witnesses who came in to speak to us, then what really are we doing and why are we bothering bringing them in?
Under section 117 of the Criminal Code, police services have the authority to act immediately with or without a warrant when there's a genuine concern for public safety. The police currently have the power to seek a warrant to seize firearms in several circumstances. These powers are currently sufficient and preferable.
Red flag measures lead to secret hearings and complaints, in which the complainant is prevented from mounting a defence and afterwards is barred from seeking access to information related to a prohibition order. Canada's court system is already significantly under-resourced and backlogged. This measure is ineffective in an emergency because the process of going before a judge to get a prohibition order as proposed to that in Bill C-21 will take at least a day if not a lot longer in some areas. Red flag measures are likely to lead to significant charter litigation surrounding the accused's rights to a fair trial and a full answer in defence.
All we can do, Chair, is make our best decisions, and I won't be supporting this today. I do feel this is going to hinder going forward. I think what's on the books currently is a better option. That's just from what I have heard from all of the witnesses and, as I said, from some of the experts who I am here with. I can't support this today and I'll leave it to the rest of my colleagues to listen to what their words are.
Thank you.