Mr. Speaker, as a member who has been around on this issue for many years, I want to tell the hon. member opposite that for years we have had an FAC, a firearms acquisition certificate. People had to have that before they could register a firearm. Where would people go to get a firearms acquisition certificate? They had to go to the RCMP who checked people's character references thoroughly and then they could register.
The minister has just mentioned that we can get a firearm registered on line. I want to tell the member opposite that senior police officers in my constituency are seeing people getting their firearms registered of whom they disapproved under the firearms certificate.
We have heard thousands of lies come out of this office. Now we are being begged to believe what we are being told.
Eight provinces said no way, they will not prosecute. The member quoted two police officers saying that this program is acceptable.
Another point I would like to make is this. We had in our province for years a firearms hunter's safety program where kids, my own grandchildren, have gone through the program. It has been proven across Canada to be of great benefit.
Now we are told that we will probably have to have government trainers conduct this program. That program was all done free of charge by the way. It will be more costly, with more disrespect. We should be saying to those eight provinces, let us get the paperwork and the mess straightened out, which is what the provinces are saying, before we prosecute anyone under the act.
The act has been a dismal failure. Any member who stands up to say that it has been a success certainly has not followed the act along its way.