Public Safety Committee on May 11th, 2023

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Yes, if you need to talk about it. I'm sorry. I was getting in a hurry.

Mr. Shipley, go ahead.

[Doug Shipley, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

Again, I just have to read some notes here.

We're talking about clause 31. Is that correct?

It's just because we went back and now we're going forward again.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

We're talking about clause 31, yes.

[Doug Shipley, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

This is where we're making registration certificates expire when their owners cease to own the firearm when the classification of that firearm is changed by an act of Parliament.

Perhaps the officials could just explain what this clause does in real life.

[Rachel Mainville-Dale]

This creates a new paragraph, 66(c), a third instance in which a registration certificate of a prohibited or restricted firearm becomes expired when the classification of a restricted or prohibited firearm changes as a result of, for example, an act of Parliament or a regulation that is made under such an act of Parliament.

[Doug Shipley, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

You say “expired”. Is that the registration that is expired? Is that what you mean?

[Rachel Mainville-Dale]

I mean the registration certificate, yes.

[Doug Shipley, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

How long does the original registration last before it expires?

[Rachel Mainville-Dale]

I will ask my colleagues at the RCMP.

[Kellie Paquette]

It depends, but this change is specifically to do with, if something happens through Parliament that changes the classification of a firearm—for example, makes it a prohibited firearm—then the registration certificate would automatically expire.

[Doug Shipley, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

Okay.

You mentioned that “if something happens through Parliament”. Can you explain what you mean by that and give me an example of that?

[Rachel Mainville-Dale]

For example, if Parliament changes classifications of firearms that are, for example, restricted and makes them prohibited—if there were a change to the Criminal Code in terms of how it defines prohibited firearms—then when that provision comes into effect, the classification changes and the certificate would automatically expire.

The second instance is when there is a regulation that changes the classification of a firearm. In that case, the registration certificate would also automatically expire.

[Doug Shipley, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

Thank you.

I think my colleagues have something.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Thank you.

I just spent a modest amount of time on the finance committee talking about ministerial accountability. I'm sure everybody in Canada was watching my discourse and I'm sure every firearm owner watches intently every comma that happens in a parliamentary change.

When Parliament changes the classification of a previously legal firearm, how would a legal firearm owner be notified that they now own a firearm that is no longer lawful? Secondly, what would then happen to that firearm?

[Kellie Paquette]

When it's a registered firearm, the registrar will notify the licensee of the change of classification of their firearm.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

By mail...?

[Kellie Paquette]

Yes, and by email if we have the email. We do that.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

For the second part of my question, what would happen to the firearm then?

[Rachel Mainville-Dale]

That depends on what was put in the change of that prohibition. For example, if Parliament or the regulation prohibited the firearm, it depends on whether an amnesty period is given. The firearm owner would then have to comply with whatever conditions had been made either by regulations or by Parliament in the act of Parliament.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Mr. Tochor, you have 35 seconds.

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

How does this make Canadians safer?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

I believe that's not a question they can answer. Our witnesses are here to give us interpretation of technical—

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

I'll rephrase it.

We have an individual who has unfortunately fallen on hard times and has turned to crime. They're out on the land and they have their firearms. This bill goes through. How does it stop that individual at all, or doesn't it?

[Rachel Mainville-Dale]

Pardon me. Your question is that somebody.... I'm sorry. I missed the first part.