Martin Cauchon

[Firearms Registry, December 10th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, it is clear in my mind and it is clear from the Auditor General's report as well that all the numbers have been reported and all the numbers have been approved by Parliament.

If we look at the recommendations of the Auditor General, which we have accepted, the question is the consolidated report that we have to table. The question is the way we should be accountable and to what extent we have to be accountable. We will answer those recommendations. On this side of the House we will be transparent. We will keep proceeding with the gun registry because we believe in public--

[Divorce Act, December 10th, 2002]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-22, An Act to amend the Divorce Act, the Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement Assistance Act, the Garnishment, Attachment and Pension Diversion Act and the Judges Act and to amend other Acts in consequence

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Firearms Registry, December 9th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, we have said many times that the gun registry is indeed a very effective tool. Police forces access the registry online 1,500 times a day.

The member is raising a question about the quality of the data. The RCMP is fully aware of that and has been working on that question. When we are talking about the quality of the data, it is a question of technology. They are working on that.

The difference is that on this side of the House we believe in safety. We will proceed with the registry. Yes, there are problems. We will fix it.

[Firearms Registry, December 9th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, about the costs, let us be clear. If we read the report of the Auditor General, she mentioned that all spending was approved by Parliament. We came back to Parliament and reported through the main estimates and through the supplementary estimates. As I said, if we read the program carefully, all of the numbers have been reported through Justice Canada and all partners involved in the program delivery.

The question now between the Auditor General and the Department of Justice is to what extent we should report. We are working on that. We will report to Canadians because we believe in transparency.

[Firearms Registry, December 9th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the member has read the report from the Auditor General, as I have. We have accepted all the recommendations.

Last week I said that there are problems that we recognize and we want to fix them. I announced last week that we have frozen all major spending in the program, which we have done.

We have legislative responsibilities. We are running the program at minimum cost, but of course we will respect our responsibilities.

Having said that, we are all saying the same thing. We want to proceed with the registry. We want to make sure that we offer Canadians a safer society.

[Age of Consent, December 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, with what we are doing with the bill, we will offer of course much better protection for our children.

The new category which has been proposed is that the court must consider whether a relationship is exploitative based on its nature and circumstances. Of course, some factors are listed in the legislation, such as the difference in age, evolution of the relationship, and the degree of influence.

[Age of Consent, December 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member would read the bill that we tabled this morning, he would see that we are amending section 153 and adding a new category with regard to sexual exploitation. It covers the question of children between the ages of 14 years and 18 years.

[Child Pornography, December 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, as I said this morning, it is zero tolerance for child predators in this country. What we did this morning was we changed the defence to ensure that we offer better protection for our children in this nation by proceeding with the defence of public good. We have added a category with regard to sexual exploitation, namely section 153, and changed the sentencing.

What we tabled this morning was a strong package to protect the children in our nation. This is what the government has committed to do. I am pleased to have the support of Liberal members in caucus.

[Child Pornography, December 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, members will know that as a government we have acted in the past on that question. The interest of children in our nation is a top priority on this side of the House. I thank our caucus members for supporting it.

Today I was very proud to table a bill regarding the question that has been raised by the Sharpe decision last spring.

What we are doing in the bill regarding the child pornography provision of the Criminal Code is putting in place a single defence of public good. We have also expanded the definition of written child pornography. We have increased the question--

[Firearms Registry, December 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member says there is no proof.

What about the more than 7,000 firearm licences that have been refused or revoked? What about police agencies that access the firearms on-line registry 1,500 times daily?

The number of persons prohibited from owning a firearm has also continued to increase by almost 50% from 1998 to 2001. The number of lost or missing firearms has declined by 68% from 1998 to 2001. This is why we are going to keep proceeding--