QUESTION PERIOD — Public Safety
Firearms Control
October 22, 2024
Leader, yesterday, our out-of-touch Prime Minister congratulated himself on the second anniversary of his choice to target licensed, trained and law-abiding gun owners instead of going after gangs and gun smugglers. In response, the Toronto Police Association said:
Criminals did not get your message. Our communities are experiencing a 45% increase in shootings and a 62% increase in gun-related homicides compared to this time last year. What difference does your handgun ban make when 85% of guns seized by our members can be sourced to the United States?
Leader, that’s an excellent question. What is your response? Not just to me, a partisan Conservative, as you like to say, but to the Toronto police.
Thank you for your question. I personally and this government have enormous responsibility for the police forces in Toronto and across the country who work tirelessly to keep Canadians safe and put themselves in harm’s way. There is no question that the proliferation of gun violence on our streets is a threat to all of us, especially to those on the front lines who have taken on the sacred duty to protect us.
This government’s legislation on firearms and its commitment to reducing the number of firearms on the streets to focus on those that have been used in mass shootings are things that this government stands on and will continue to. It has worked to reduce the inflow of guns from the United States and will continue to do what is necessary to keep Canadians safe.
The Toronto Police Association also told them this:
Your statement is out of touch and offensive to victims of crime and police officers everywhere —
— I would echo that in this chamber —
— Whatever you think that you have done to improve community safety, has not worked.
Who should Canadians believe? The men and women on the ground who protect our communities daily or the Prime Minister whose policy makes their jobs even tougher?
Canadians should have confidence in their police forces. It is normal in a democracy for different institutions to have different perspectives on matters pertaining to public safety, especially one so sensitive to the well-being of each and every Canadian and our communities. This government stands by its policy on gun violence as it stands on its policy in criminal law more generally.
