Mr. Speaker, I agree that the bill is not one step forward, but in fact two steps forward.
The bill would do two important things to strengthen what is already a rather robust arms export system in Canada. First of all, it would place criteria on decisions to allow export of certain arms. It places those criteria into legislation, making a new legally binding component to any decision made by this or any future government on how it permits the export of arms. Second, it would also create that same framework around the brokering of arms. We have not been able to regulate third parties brokering the sale of arms into conflict zones.
For those two reasons, the bill create two steps forward in strengthening our arms export system.
I would reiterate that this in no way would affect the lawful use of guns and firearms in Canada. We heard that said in testimony numerous times by witnesses across civil society. We were even able to satisfy lawful gun owners with the insertion of a “for greater certainty” clause in Bill C-47. Therefore, Canadians should know that this would in no way affect domestic gun ownership in Canada.