Maria Mourani

[Firearms Registry, May 31st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, this government is so short of arguments to justify its ideology that its spokesperson, Senator Boisvenu, has resorted to talking about the large number of deer that cause accidents and single mothers who do not teach their sons about hunting. He even bemoaned the fact that it does not occur to 14- to 18-year-olds to buy guns. That is appalling! The fact is that in 2009, over 7,000 long guns were confiscated for public safety reasons.

Why is the government bent on eliminating a registry that saves lives?

[Firearms Registry, May 31st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, a broad coalition of Quebec stakeholders is urging the government to maintain the gun registry. The National Assembly, police forces, families of victims of crime, public health experts and many others want the government to keep long gun control in place.

Why does this government want to eliminate the gun registry despite the fact that it saves lives and that stakeholders in Quebec agree it is a good thing?

[Firearms Registry, May 27th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, a Quebec delegation led by the Quebec public safety minister is in Ottawa calling for the firearm registry to be maintained in its entirety. Quebeckers support controlling guns, including long guns. On three occasions, the Quebec National Assembly unanimously came out against dismantling the registry.

Why does the government want to eliminate the firearms registry, which is supported by Quebeckers and saves lives?

[Firearms Registry, May 27th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the Institut national de santé publique du Québec believes that, since the Firearms Act came into effect, the number of suicides and homicides committed with firearms have decreased on average by 250 and 50 respectively per year. Over the course of seven years, the registry has saved 2,100 lives.

Why does the government want to eliminate the gun registry, a registry that saves lives?

[International Missing Children's Day, May 25th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, to have a child go missing is perhaps the most tragic thing that can happen to a family. According to the RCMP, every year in Canada about 100 children go missing and are still missing a year later. This situation is unacceptable.

Some of these children are missing because they have run away or because of accidents, but many are abducted by parents or strangers.

While a tough-on-crime approach may be the most appealing, prevention is definitely more effective. That is why the Bloc Québécois wants to tackle the underlying causes of this kind of crime and give the police the tools they need to investigate, as well as bring in balanced, effective and realistic legislation. Supporting organizations that work on prevention with families and in schools is crucial.

On this International Missing Children's Day, I invite everyone to light a candle for 24 hours in order to light the way home for all missing children.

[Firearms Registry, May 6th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, he also said that we should maintain the registry.

The Conservatives are taking an ideological stance and are ignoring the truth. This was clear in the comments made by the member for Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, who denies that the École Polytechnique tragedy played a role in the creation of the registry. Not only is that untrue and unacceptable, but it also negates all the work done by the Coalition for Gun Control.

Why refuse to listen to the École Polytechnique survivors, who are also calling for the firearms registry to be maintained?

[Firearms Registry, May 6th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, for the first time, three police associations, including the Canadian Police Association, which represents 41,000 officers, are banding together to call on the government to maintain the firearms registry. These three police associations are clear: the registry saves lives.

Instead of turning it into an ideological debate, why does the government not listen to those who are on the front lines and who are calling for the firearms registry to remain unchanged?

[Firearms Registry, May 4th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers unanimously support gun control. Along with the CLC and the Dawson College Gun Control Committee, who are here on Parliament Hill today, the National Assembly of Quebec, police forces, women's groups, advocacy groups for victims of crime, legal experts and public health experts all want the gun registry to be maintained as it is.

When will the government realize that its ideological obstinacy is jeopardizing the safety of Quebeckers?

[Firearms Registry, May 4th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, although they claim to be the law and order government, the Conservatives are encouraging gun owners to violate the Criminal Code and for four years have been renewing the amnesty for those who refuse to register their guns. According to police, the registry is a valuable tool in the fight against crime.

How can the government claim to enforce law and order, when it favours the free circulation of firearms and civil disobedience?

[Appointment of Judges, April 28th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, as proof of the absurdity of the judicial appointment process, consider the example of Mr. Léger, a former president of the Progressive Conservative Party, who was appointed to the bench by the Conservatives in 2006. He currently sits on the Quebec Court of Appeal.

Despite the fact that he was the Hells Angels' business lawyer, he was the man chosen by the Conservatives to replace the chief justice of the highest court in Quebec, who himself was a former political organizer for the Liberal Party of Canada.

Why does this government continue to support a process that favours partisan appointments over merit?