Evidence of meeting #66 for Public Safety and National Security in the 44th 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.
Conservative
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
I'm sorry. It's a quick point of order on the clarification of process.
Are we not allowed five minutes per clause as well, or is that just for the amendments?
Conservative
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Okay, so we have five minutes right now if we want to.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
Well, we started the vote. Did you want to speak to this clause? Is that what you're saying?
Conservative
Liberal
Liberal
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ron McKinnon
Well, the motion says for each clause and for each amendment.
I'm going to allow you to speak to it, because I think the more we can get together on this somehow, the better we'll move ahead.
Go ahead.
Conservative
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Could the officials just explain what this clause achieves in its entirety, in its amended form?
Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
Clause 12 will add persons employed by the Bank of Canada or the Royal Canadian Mint responsible for the security of its facilities to the “public officers” provisions in the Criminal Code. It will allow them to be exempt from the requirements of the Firearms Act and the related offences, as with other federal bodies in the Criminal Code underneath the federal umbrella. It will also allow prescription power to do that in the future for other federal entities. Proposed paragraph 117.07(1)(b) gives the government flexibility to add others in the future.
Conservative
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
I just want to confirm that that's all the clause achieves.
Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
Yes, that's all this clause achieves. The amendments are related to other sections in the Criminal Code. The “firearm part” being added is in different sections of the code, but this clause just adds the bank and the mint to the “public officers” provision of the code and allows for a prescription power.
Conservative
Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
It's to provide them an exemption so they can protect their assets and can have possession of and carry prohibited—
Conservative
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Just so I'm clear, someone employed by the government can carry a side arm because of clause 12.
Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
That's correct—a side arm, or a prohibited or restricted firearm. Because they're not governed by the Firearms Act, they don't need a licence or a registration certificate for those firearms. That allows them to carry and use those in the protection of their assets.
Conservative
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Okay. Just so I'm clear, you said “restricted” and “prohibited”. They are the ones that no one is legally allowed to own, regardless of what licence they have. That's what “prohibited” is. Is that correct? That's for civilians. That's what I'm saying.
Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
That's correct. It's for the security only.
Conservative
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Can you give me an example of what a prohibited firearm in this context would be?
Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
I could. I just worry about giving information related to the bank and the mint in testimony, so I would say—
Conservative
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Is there an equivalent one used currently by an office-holder that we can look up somewhere else and that you can give as an example?
Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
Yes. It's a C8, I believe—a carbine. They use those in the protection of their assets. It's a carbine. Previously, I believe...military C8.
Conservative
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
They are carbines, which are prohibited. I could not get a licence for one of these.
