37th Parliament, 2nd Session

(September 30, 2002 -     )

[Parliamentary Coat-of-Arms]

Edited Hansard • Number 097

Wednesday, May 7, 2003

[Hansard – Page 5921]

 

Questions on the Order Paper

    Mr. Geoff Regan (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 169 and 190.

[Text]

Question No. 190--

 

Mr. Garry Breitkreuz:

    With respect to the following statement in paragraph 10.67 of the Auditor General's 2002 Report to Parliament, “In February 2001, the Department told the Government it had wanted to focus on the minority of firearms owners that posed a high risk while minimizing the impact on the overwhelming majority of law-abiding owners.”: why then does the Firearms Act require all law abiding, licenced firearms owners to report their change of address within 30 days or face criminal penalties of up to two years in jail but not require high risk individuals, such as: (a) persons who have been prohibited by the courts from owning firearms; (b) persons who have had their firearms licence refused or revoked; and (c) violent persons who are under active court restraining orders; to do the same?

Hon. Wayne Easter (Solicitor General of Canada, Lib.):

    The goals of licensing and registration include making every individual responsible for his or her firearms and providing police with information with respect to firearm ownership and registration. Those goals can only be achieved by keeping the registry up to date, including the current addresses of licensees.

    Persons who have been prohibited or who are unlicensed for whatever reason cannot own or register firearms. The updated addresses of such individuals are thus not personal information that is necessary to manage the firearms program. The Privacy Act only authorizes the collection of personal information by a government institution that is directly relevant to the management of its programs and activities. It is sufficient, in the case of prohibited individuals or unlicensed individuals, for the police to be advised that these individuals cannot lawfully possess firearms.

    Mr. Geoff Regan: Mr. Speaker, I ask that the remaining questions be allowed to stand.