CANADA

UNEDITED COPY – COPIE NON ÉDITÉE

Thursday October 23, 2003

The Vice-Chair (Mr. John McKay):

    Order, please.

    Colleagues, we have a motion from Mr. Breitkreuz. I'm advised by the clerk that it has been properly received and has been properly distributed. I'll call upon Mr. Breitkreuz to speak to his motion.

    Mr. Garry Breitkreuz (Yorkton—Melville, Canadian Alliance): Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, to the committee, to hear my motion. I'm going to, at this time, argue for it. I'm sure all fiscally responsible Liberals will support it.

    In essence, what I'm asking is that the $10 million that was asked to be transferred from last year's budget to this year's budget for the Firearms Centre be reduced to $1.

    My argument is basically this. Last year, they had $78 million. They registered 2.5 million guns with $78 million and they had $10 million left over. This year in the budget they're asking for $113 million. They only have to register about 1 million guns. I'm saying that the $10 million would be much better spent on a DNA analysis lab and the backlog that has developed there.

    I feel that we as a committee need to do the responsible thing. They have done away with the RCMP forensics unit in Regina. That's something that needs to be addressed. They only need $5 million according to the RCMP Staff Sergeant Dave Hepworth to get rid of this backlog. I think the responsible thing would be to do that. That's going to save lives. We as a committee have an obligation to review this matter. So I would like us to approve this motion and go on from there.

    I don't know if you have any questions. It's very simple: $78 million last year, $10 million surplus, this year it's $113 million. Why do they need another $10 million? Last year was by far the busiest year because of the deadline at the end of the year. So we really, I think, should do the responsible thing and reduce the $10 million to $1.

    Mr. John McKay: Ms. Jennings.

    Mrs. Marlene Jennings: Thank you, Mr. Chair.

    I always find it fascinating to hear my colleague, Mr. Breitkreuz, on the issue of the Firearms Program. As he clearly stated, it's not new money. This money was approved by Parliament and is within the fiscal framework. It's money that, as he clearly stated, was not spent last year and is being carried over to the 2003-04 budget.

    Now, given that it's not new money, given that it was approved in the budget 2002-03, given that it's within Treasury Board authority, etc., that our rules and regulations that moneys can be transferred over, moneys that were approved can be transferred over into the next fiscal year, given that it's within the announced spending targets--and the fact is that the centre is on target and the centre is implementing its action plan and it is meeting its deadline--I would ask my colleagues not to support the motion of Mr. Breitkreuz.

    Mr. Garry Breitkreuz: Yes. You made it clear that I have no argument with carrying the money forward, but we need to send a message to the House that the money should be spent on real public safety priorities: more and better policing and detective work, that kind of thing.

    My argument is let's spend it where it will do the most good to prevent crime, to solve crimes and to save lives. That's our responsibility as a committee. That's the bottom line. I'd like to see us recommend that this be reduced to $1.

    The Vice-Chair (Mr. John McKay): Any other interveners? Question.

    Mr. Garry Breitkreuz: Can I get a recorded vote, here.

    The Vice-Chair (Mr. John McKay): Recorded vote. Madam Clerk, can I call on you to do a recorded vote, please?

    Ms. Diane Diotte:

    The motion is on supplementary estimates (A) 2003-2004, Votes 7a.

    Mr. John McKay: (Motion negatived: nays 9; yeas 3)

    Thank you. We'll see you at 3:30.