Honourable senators, as our debate on Bill C-71 draws to a close, today I would like to salute the women, men and organizations that are campaigning for a ban on assault weapons and handguns.

First, I would like to pay tribute to the Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns and its spokesperson, Dr. Najma Ahmed, a trauma surgeon in Toronto.

This grassroots organization represents physicians working in collaboration with nurses, paramedics, psychologists, researchers and other front-line health care professionals.

For them, the proliferation of firearms represents a threat to public health. They deal with the harmful consequences of firearms on a daily basis. Their testimonies are extremely relevant. Pro-gun lobbies have attempted to silence them by filing disciplinary complaints and issuing all kinds of threats. They have responded with determination and professionalism.

The second group I want to highlight is PolySeSouvient, whose members are primarily family and friends of the victims of the tragedy that occurred in Montreal on December 6, 1989.

Its two main spokespeople, Heidi Rathjen and Nathalie Provost, are themselves survivors of the Polytechnique massacre and have dedicated their lives to advocating for gun control. The group is campaigning to ban handguns and assault weapons, limit magazines to five cartridges, and prohibit pinned magazines that can be converted to hold more than five rounds.

Like all these groups, I believe there is an urgent need to ban all handguns and assault weapons and to follow New Zealand’s example before tragedy strikes again. These groups remind us that the guns used at the Polytechnique, at Dawson College and at the Quebec City mosque are still being sold in Canada.

In closing, I want to express my solidarity with the family members of victims of gun violence, who are marked for life. I want them to know that we will keep working to make Canada safer.

Thank you. Meegwetch.