Allan Rock

[Gun Control, March 23rd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that in this election year all sorts of things will happen in Saskatchewan and in its legislature.

Perhaps the members opposite can look at the facts of this case and examine the question that in Saskatchewan the fatality rate from firearms is 50 per cent higher than the national average. The suicide rate from firearms is twice the national average. Let us talk about community safety.

[Gun Control, March 23rd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, like all other information that derives from the gun lobby, I urge the hon. member to check for the real facts.

Let us determine first of all how many officers in those departments participated in the so-called vote. Let us find out what they were asked and the reason for the meeting being called in the first place.

The Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers intends to conduct its own poll and we shall see what happens when all the police in the province are asked the full question.

There is no doubt there are individual police officers, individual police chiefs, who do not agree with all parts of the firearms bill. However, while it is not unanimous, we continue to believe this bill has the support of the vast majority of Canadians and police officers.

[Gun Control, March 21st, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I admire the hon. member's familiarity with the firearms legislation and I commend him for it.

I also remind him that the enforcement of such provisions is entirely a matter for provincial authorities to which I invite his attention.

[Human Rights, March 21st, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, we have made plain that our commitment to the changes in the Canadian Human Rights Act is a matter of government policy. These are questions in which we believe strongly. These are commitments we will fulfil.

[Human Rights, March 21st, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the change to the human rights legislation to which the hon. member has referred is only one of many changes this government contemplates to the act, which is now almost 20 years old.

The report of the human rights chief commissioner quite properly pointed out that this is unfinished business. Let me emphasize to the House, as I have done on other occasions, that the government is committed to this change. It is committed to modernizing the statute and improving it. It is a commitment we will fulfil.

[Canadian Human Rights Act, March 21st, 1995]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to section 61(3) of the Canadian Human Rights Act and Standing Order 32(2), I am pleased to table, in both official languages, le rapport annuel de la Commission des droits humains for the year 1994 for referral to the Standing Committee on Human Rights and the Status of Disabled Persons.

[Gun Control, March 17th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, if we want to spend time in the House looking into the future and conjuring up images that frighten Canadians, I would rather focus on what will happen if we do not have effective gun control.

We will go the way of other countries. We will undermine public safety. We will end up with a gun culture. Canadians do not want that for the future of their country.

[Gun Control, March 17th, 1995]

No, Mr. Speaker. The proposal is to have a registry which will be kept in computer records but which will be part of C-PIC and available only to police.

As secure as the registry system for handguns has been, we have had registration of handguns for decades and there has not once been an instance of anybody breaking into the secure registry system for handguns.

At the moment those who oppose registry are fearmongering, trying to get people to think the registration will result in people getting into private information. That is simply untrue.

[Gun Control, March 17th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the case referred to in Alberta is under appeal and the federal government has every confidence that its position will prevail in the appellate court.

[Gun Control, March 17th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I will not comment on that specific case except to say that I look forward to seeing what the issue is in light of all the facts when fairly stated.

Let me point out that in respect of firearms that were prohibited effective January 1 of this year the federal government is paying compensation to those people from whom we are taking the firearms. That is point number one.

Second, firearms in that category are being prohibited because they are not used for sporting or hunting purposes. These are assault type weapons that have no place in this country.