Randeep Sarai

[Firearms Act, September 20th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, it is a tool in the tool chest. As the chiefs of police have stated, this is an important tool in the fight against gun and gang violence. It is not the only solution. It will require a comprehensive plan, prevention, intervention, suppression, legislation and gun control.

However, this is one very important step to stop that leak. I was on the mayor's gang task force in my riding of Surrey. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police told us that up to 70% of the guns used in these violent crimes were legally sourced originally. We need to be able to track them. We need to find out which vendors are turning a blind eye and which vendors are selling them.

Ninety-nine percent of good gun owners will not be affected. They are not the bad guys. They are not the ones we are chasing. We have to plug the hole for those who are breaching the law, who are misusing these loopholes and who are giving guns to those who should not have guns.

[Firearms Act, September 20th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-71 the government is proposing measures to require firearms businesses to retain inventory and transfer records related to non-restricted firearms. Many ask why we are targeting legal gun owners, that they are not the bad guys. They are not, but I can tell members that 60% to 70% of the guns used in gang violence are domestically sourced, either by theft or by purchasing them through vendors who are wilfully blind when selling their firearms.

Bill C-71 would strengthen the due diligence practices, support the tracing of firearms for criminal investigations and help to ensure that only those properly licenced to own a firearm can acquire one.

The ability to trace firearms can help police save time and resources when conducting criminal investigations. It can generate investigative leads, for example, that link suspects to firearms discovered at crime scenes. Identifying the last legal owner of a firearm could also help to expedite those investigations. It could help to build evidence to secure a conviction and potentially identify firearms trafficking networks. These records would be kept by the businesses selling the firearm.

On that point, I am pleased to say that a further amendment at committee stage clarifies, in no uncertain terms, that this would not create any kind of firearms registry. Keeping records is already a common practice among many Canadian firearms businesses. Bill C-71 would make the practice mandatory.

Access to those records by law enforcement would follow standard procedures, including seeking judicial authorizations, where appropriate. It is another tool in the toolbox for the proud men and women on the front lines who work every day to combat the gun violence in our communities. It is on top of strengthened rules around classification and transportation of firearms, which has been discussed at length already.

All of these new measures represent sensible and practical new steps that we can take to enhance public safety while remaining respectful and fair to legal firearms owners. However, now that we have reached third reading, I think it is an opportune time to address some of the questions we have heard around timing should this bill become law.

Several members have asked why only a few elements of Bill C-71 would come into force immediately. Many provisions can only come into force at a later date due to operational and informatics system changes that must be made prior to implementation. This includes the repeal of the deeming provisions and grandfathering of affected owners, and the building of an online portal to facilitate licence verification, as a few examples. As we prepare to get this bill ready for scrutiny by the other place, we would do well to keep issues of timing in mind.

These changes are long overdue. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police said that it “is encouraged by the positive direction taken by (the government) towards sensible firearms legislation, enhancing the tools available to police to ensure public safety.”

The government promised change, and through this proposed legislation it has delivered. Thanks in no small part to the committee and House scrutiny, Bill C-71 is deserving of our full support.

[Firearms Act, September 20th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand behind the amended Bill C-71 at third reading. In my riding of Surrey Centre, guns and gangs have plagued the streets. Gun violence has increased, and it has continued to increase in the last few years. This is an issue that all three levels of government are working hard to tackle.

At the federal level, the Minister of Public Safety has also announced that the federal government will spend $327 million over five years on anti-gang initiatives and gun crime crackdown, and $100 million ever year thereafter. The government also held a summit in March to identify the best ways to control and curb gun violence. I am incredibly proud to represent Surrey Centre at the federal level, and to help end gun violence in my riding.

I have worked hard fighting against youth violence since my teens, and I have seen how prevention, intervention and community engagement combined can end and control these horrific levels of violence. I was honoured to be part of the mayor's task force on gang violence prevention, which was formed nine months ago, and has recently released its final report which contains six recommendations.

I believe that the first step in tackling this issue is to improve the firearms regime in Canada. Over the last decade, it is fair to say that controls over the transfer and movement of firearms in Canada were weakened. At the same time, converted automatic firearms have fallen into the wrong hands far too often. The Governor in Council used its authority to deem certain models as non-restricted or restricted, despite the fact that they met the Criminal Code definition for prohibited firearms.

In keeping with the mandate from the Prime Minister, the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Justice have taken action to ensure that our regime is more appropriate. Strengthened background checks, licence verification, required record-keeping by vendors, more sensible rules around transportation of restricted and prohibited firearms, and a consistent approach to classification are before us today in the form of Bill C-71.

I am pleased to see that the legislation, as amended by the committee, has further strengthened the original proposals. The original Bill C-71 aimed to enhance background checks, for example. The amended Bill C-71 has taken that miles further, by adding specific new criteria that must be considered over the life history of an applicant, namely, whether the applicant has a history of threatening conduct; the applicant is or was previously prohibited by a non-contact order and presently poses a risk to the safety and security of any person; the person was previously subject to a firearms prohibition under order and in relation to an offence where violence was used, threatened or attempted against a person's intimate partner or former intimate partner; and the applicant, for any reason, poses a risk of harm to any person.

The amendment has taken this further by clarifying that threatened violence and threatening conduct can include what is communicated online, through the Internet or other digital networks. That is a welcome addition to the current regime.

Presently, when licensing authorities determine whether a person is eligible for a firearms licence, they are only required to consider certain factors, like a history of violence or mental illness that is linked to violent behaviour over the preceding five years of the applicant's life. Under Bill C-71, these authorities would be required to consider certain factors spanning a person's entire life rather than just the past five years. This will be a positive change in Canada. It would increase the confidence of Canadians in the overall effectiveness of our firearms licensing regime, and would assure them that all firearms licence applicants will, in the interest of public safety, have their backgrounds comprehensively vetted.

I would like to point out that at this stage, this does not in any way unfairly single out those with mental health issues; it is only mandatory for chief firearms officers or judges to consider mental health treatment related to violence, or threatened or attempted violence. All of this is in the interests of public safety and all Canadians.

[Whalley Little League, September 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, this summer, residents of Surrey Centre sang Take Me Out to the Ball Game as we celebrated the accomplishments of Whalley Little League.

Thanks to the thrilling victory in the Canadian Little League Championship, the all-star team from Whalley earned the right to represent Canada at the Little League Baseball World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

There, they made Surrey proud, playing hard and showing immense strength and enthusiasm on the field, despite the fact that the team faced adversity prior to the tournament. For a time, it was unclear whether one of their teammates, Dio Gama, could join them. However, with the help of the Minister of Immigration and Minister of Public Safety, he was able to go.

It was my honour to host them in my constituency office this summer. This wonderful celebration included a surprise message from our Prime Minister, which delighted the players and helped turn it into an unforgettable day for the team. A special thanks goes out to the team's parents and coaching staff, led by Mike Marino, for following and supporting their team on the road for 46 days.

[Gun and Gang Violence, June 18th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, gun and gang violence has plagued the streets of Surrey and Lower Mainland. Most recently, it hit the community hard with the deaths of two teenagers, Jason Jhutty and Jesse Bhangal, who were killed in a brutal targeted hit.

This tragic incident brought thousands of parents, youth, and community leaders together and erupted into a “Wake Up Surrey” rally against gang violence. This community has called for help, called for action, and wants this menace that has plagued its streets for far too long to end.

We live in a country with some of the best minds, lawmakers, and law enforcement personnel available than probably anywhere in the world, and the constituents of Surrey demand they work together to end gun violence on our streets.

It is time for all levels of government, community stakeholders, parents, and police forces to work together to ensure lives are not lost to meaningless violence.

We must do more.

[Canadian Men's Health Week, June 11th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, as it is Father's Day this week, it is also Canadian Men's Health Week and the Don't Change Much campaign.

As parliamentarians, we work long hours and are constantly travelling back and forth to our constituencies. Therefore, it is very important that we take care of our physical and mental health. Many people look up to us as role models, and it is important that we take care of our health and promote a healthy lifestyle so others do the same.

It does not take much. Last week, I had the privilege of hosting the Canadian Men's Health Foundation's men's health caucus breakfast. I would like to thank the Canadian Men's Health Foundation president, Wayne Hartrick, for raising awareness on this vital issue. It was inspiring to hear from two former CFL players, British Columbians, Tommy Europe and Shea Emry, on how important it is to be healthy and active. Through simple changes, such as 30 minutes of daily activity or sleeping for seven hours, we can improve our life expectancy by up to 70%.

I want to commend Dr. Larry Goldenberg, a pioneer of prostate cancer and research, for his commitment to treating prostate cancer and other diseases, and preventing them from affecting men at an earlier age. Enjoy a happy—

[Committees of the House, June 4th, 2018]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 19th report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, entitled “Main Estimates 2018-19: Vote 1 under Immigration and Refugee Board”.

[Student Summer Employment, May 29th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, summer is my favourite season because I get to visit 67 Canada summer jobs employers, most of them non-profits and community groups that will hire over 200 youth to expand social media platforms, create neighbourhood reports, administer youth camps, foster the arts scene, plant trees, and help those in need.

This will include arts groups such as The Royal Canadian Theatre Company and The Flamingo, business groups like the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association, NGOs like the Surrey Urban Mission Society, the Lookout Housing and Health Society, and the Green Timbers Heritage Society.

It will also help church groups such as the Calvary Worship Centre, Green Timbers Covenant Church, and the Mennonite Central Committee hire counsellors for their summer programs. Students will get valuable work experience at places like Wedler Engineering, Allondale Animal Hospital, the Satya Paul boutique, and Sharons Credit Union.

Overall, this is a win-win-win situation. Students get jobs, work experience, and skills, employers get support, and our communities prosper and thrive.

[Business of Supply, May 24th, 2018]

Mr. Chair, as a follow-up to my colleagues who thought that only we have gotten irregular migrants, I understand that irregular migrants have happened in the past. There were spikes in 2014 and 2012. Did the previous government ever shut this so-called loophole in the safe third country agreement, or did it ever designate the 9,000-kilometre border as a legal border crossing?

[Business of Supply, May 24th, 2018]

Mr. Chair, we keep hearing from the other side that all these resources are being taken away and wait times in regular streams of immigration are increasing. However, in my riding of Surrey Centre, the wait time for every single stream of immigration has decreased, whether it is live-in caregivers, family class, or spousal class. I would like to ask the minister whether there is any stream of immigration where wait times have increased past the 2015 Harper Conservative government, and whether we have had any delays to any stream of immigration, economic or family-wise.