![[Parliamentary Coat-of-Arms]](../pics/crest.gif)
Edited Hansard • Number 106
Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Justice—Main Estimates 2003-04
(Consideration in committee of the whole of all votes under Justice in the main estimates, Mr. Kilger in the chair)
The Chair: Order, please. House in committee of the whole on all votes under Justice in the main estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2004.
[Hansard – Pages 6587-6588]
Mr. Kevin Sorenson (Crowfoot, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Chair, it is a pleasure to be here tonight and question the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General on some of the issues that the Canadian public are facing and are concerned about.
We have already had a number of members who have come into the House and raised concerns about the gun registry. Canadians from all across Canada are telling the government and each one of us that the gun registry does not work. Canadian police are telling the country that the gun registry does not work. Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino stated:
|
|
And I'm very devastated by the amount of gun-related violence that we're experiencing here in the city of Toronto; a tremendous increase over years gone by. The difficulty of course is that we haven't yet come across any situation where the gun registry would have enabled us to either prevent or solve any of these crimes. |
The Toronto police chief is saying on the one hand that we are concerned about the increase in gun related criminal activity offences, yet there has not been one instance where this gun registry would have helped solve crime or prevented any of the crimes.
We have wasted a billion dollars on a program that is targeting law abiding citizens, hunters, farmers and ranchers, while police officers are lacking the resources to adequately do the job that they are concerned about. They are lacking the resources to prevent gang related deaths in Toronto.
In March police officers came to Parliament Hill to deliver their wish list for 2003. Topping their list was the protection of children and their concern about child pornography. Another concern dealt with pension accrual and club fed where police killers spend time in resort style prisons.
My question is for the Solicitor General. When will the Solicitor General stop throwing good money after bad and give police officers the resources they need to target their criminals? Why have local police agencies not received the funds that are needed to enforce the laws, such as have been prescribed in Bill C-38 that came down today on the decriminalization of marijuana?
Hon. Wayne Easter: Mr. Chair, I thank the hon. member for the questions.
As I said earlier in response to a previous question, we have admitted up front that there have been some problems with the gun registry system. The Minister of Justice and I announced an action plan to put the gun registry system in order. In fact, we have been implementing much of that plan.
The hon. member opposite named a couple of individuals who have said that they have had problems with the system. I will not take the time of the House, but the Canadian Police Association and the Chief of Police in Ottawa have outlined very specifically how the gun registry and control system helps them. It can be helpful in terms of preventing violence.
Registering a firearm will assist the police to enforce prohibition orders made by the courts, licence refusal and revocation decisions made by a firearms officer, and make public safety seizure decisions. All of these are important. The system is important for protecting officers. Registration of firearms provides some advance information to police en route to calls of violence. The list goes on. There are benefits here to police in doing policing work. The hon. member should recognize that.
In terms of the action plan, I want to spell out some of the improvements that we are in the process of making. The Minister of Justice and I have said in the action plan that we would reduce costs and improve management by transferring the national weapons enforcement support team to the RCMP. That has been done. We would streamline headquarters operations and consolidate processing sites. That is in the process of being done. We are creating a continuous improvement plan.
Mr. Kevin Sorenson: Mr. Chair, Canadians are telling us that the gun registry is not working. The gun registry has been a colossal waste of money. It will cost close to $1 billion. That is $1 billion which is much needed in other places. I move:
|
|
That Vote 1 for the Department of Justice in the amount of $308,238,000 be reduced by $100 million to $208,238,000. |
The Chair: Given the limitations on the proceedings this evening I am prepared to continue the intervention by the hon. chief whip for the official opposition while I take the matter under advisement.
http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/2/parlbus/chambus/house/debates/106_2003-05-27/HAN106-E.htm#Int-567750