Allan Rock

[Department Of Justice, April 25th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I am not certain of the numbers to which the hon. member refers.

[Department Of Justice, April 25th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is quite right to remind me of my undertaking to furnish that information. It is under review. The material will be forthcoming.

In order to satisfy the hon. member, I will determine overnight when I might expect to have the information. I will let him know in writing tomorrow when I will have it for him.

[Firearms, April 25th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, we have succeeded at some measure already in this debate. We now have the hon. member referring to registration costing millions instead of billions. We are going in the right direction. Some of the facts are seeping through.

It is terribly important to deal with this issue on the facts. That is why I decry the efforts of the hon. member and his colleagues to distort the discussion with disinformation among the Canadian people.

The Canadian Police Association, representing 35,000 front line police officers across the country, has now joined with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police in asking the government to enact legislation including the registration of all firearms. They know what is in the public interest. They know it is consistent with public safety. Let us get behind the police.

[Firearms, April 25th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, it was while meeting with representatives of the Canadian Police Association last month that the advantages of registration in identifying stockpiling of firearms was first brought to my notice. I referred to it yesterday because of its power as a compelling example of the advantages of registration.

As I said yesterday and as I firmly believe, if people are stockpiling firearms to create their own arsenal that is something the authorities should know about. We permit firearms in this country for good and legitimate purposes, whether it be hunting or farming. If someone has a collateral purpose and is stockpiling firearms that is something the authorities should know about.

Registration will enable the authorities to have access to that information. The police want it. I want to know why the hon. member will not support the police in the work they are trying to do to achieve a safer country.

[Firearms, April 25th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I find the premise of the question puzzling. We make categories in law all the time. We distinguish between kinds of firearms. We make exceptions for people who use firearms in their occupations, for example.

For many years in the criminal law we have provided that for those who use firearms for sustenance purposes. It does not talk about aboriginals. It talks about Canadians. Canadians who use firearms for sustenance purposes are exempted from the payment of fees. That, of course, is a common sense approach and one which we will continue in the new legislation.

[Firearms, April 25th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, my statement yesterday was that the existing exemptions from the payment of fees for those who use firearms for sustenance will be continued in the new legislation. That statement is accurate.

[Justice, April 6th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the issue in the case referred to by the hon. member is just the opposite. It was alleged in that case that the prohibition of homosexual activity by those who are under 18 years of age is unconstitutional because it is inconsistent with the rule otherwise for heterosexual activity. I believe that case is still before the courts and I will be careful not to comment further.

I am meeting this afternoon with a group called Citizens Against Child Exploitation led by a courageous and energetic woman, Monica Rainey from British Columbia. I am looking forward to that meeting. I have met with her in the past and I always learn from my encounters with her. This very subject is on the agenda. I will express my interest to Ms. Rainey and I will discuss it with her.

I can assure the hon. member that it is something that we will consider very carefully.

[Justice, April 6th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Justice has under review the whole question of the age of consent to sexual activity precisely because of our concern for the young people who might otherwise be victimized.

I do however emphasize that the criminal law is not entirely silent in this respect. For example, as provided in section 273.1

of the code, there is no consent if the participation of someone of that age is induced by breach of trust or authority, threat or fear.

I point out to the hon. member that there may well be provisions in the code which would deal with this situation.

[Young Offenders Act, April 6th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the record will show that I have never claimed we are going to be able to stop all crime. That is not going to happen.

What I have said is that while there is a role for toughening up the laws and providing better responses and enforcement, that is not all that is required. A great deal of other things are required as well and we have to focus on all of them.

I respond to the hon. member by saying that we have taken action by passing Bill C-37. We have taken action by asking the committee to recommend further changes. We have created the National Crime Prevention Council. My colleagues in cabinet are working in a variety of ways to address the underlying social causes of crime in this country.

[Young Offenders Act, April 6th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I fully understand how Canadians, including members of the House, react to the horror and tragedy of events such as these.

I do urge the hon. member to bear in mind that the judicial process must run its course. There are people charged who are presumed innocent. There will be a trial. The crown will proffer evidence and a court will decide who is responsible. We must not prejudice that process.

Let me say in response to the point raised by the hon. member that any decision on whether or not to seek a transfer to adult

court is for the prosecuting lawyer to make. That person takes direction from the Attorney General of the province of Quebec.