Several civil society groups are urging the Trudeau government to immediately implement the sections of its firearms law that are intended to protect women who are victims of domestic violence.
Last December, Parliament passed Bill C-21, which includes new measures to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals responsible for domestic violence. It also strengthens restrictions on handguns, increases penalties for firearms trafficking and aims to eliminate homemade ghost guns.
C-21 then became the Act to amend certain Acts and other texts in consequence (firearms). But not all of its sections came into force immediately, and still do not.
A detailed brief approved by various concerned organizations therefore calls on the federal government to do what is necessary to activate measures aimed at stopping domestic violence. “We sincerely believe that some of these measures will make a difference in ensuring the safety of women,” said Suzanne Zaccour, director of legal affairs for the National Association of Women and the Law, one of the groups behind the document sent to federal ministers.
These groups want the following provisions to come into force quickly:
- section 6.1, which prevents a person who has been convicted of an offence involving violence — or who is subject to a court order requiring them to stay away from another person — from obtaining a firearms licence;
- section 70.1, which requires the firearms controller to revoke a firearms licence within 24 hours where the controller has reasonable grounds to suspect that a holder may have engaged in domestic violence or harassment;
- Section 70.2, which automatically revokes the licence of a person subject to a court injunction ordering them to stay away from a relative and requiring them to surrender their firearms to a peace officer within 24 hours.
The submission also calls for new regulatory measures to ensure compliance with the requirement that firearms dealers verify the validity of a potential buyer’s licence. “There have been many cases where an individual whose licence had been revoked or expired has successfully purchased a firearm that they have subsequently used against their intimate partner or ex-partner.”
The groups want the federal government to also consider going further to protect women. For example, they suggest adding a section to the law that would ensure that all those who use firearms in the course of their employment — police officers, wildlife officers, security officers, etc. — lose access to them in cases of domestic violence. “Without exception,” they claim.
Raise awareness and prohibit
The federal government should ensure that an awareness campaign aimed at police, courts, the public and women’s shelters includes up-to-date information about the new intervention standards to remove access to firearms under section 70.1, as well as the expanded definition of domestic violence in the Firearms Act, the submission adds.
Among those who supported the recommendations were pro-gun control groups including PolySeSouvient, Canadian Physicians for Protection from Guns, the Canadian Federation of University Women, the Ending Violence Association of Canada, Hébergement femmes Canada, YWCA Canada, Danforth Families for Safe Communities, the Fédération des femmes du Québec and the Fédération des maisons d’hébergement pour femmes au Québec.
The Ministry of Public Safety did not immediately respond to questions from The Canadian Press regarding the brief.
The bill passed by Parliament also includes a ban on assault weapons, along with a new technical definition for such rifles. However, it does not apply to models that were already on the market when the bill was passed.
Earlier this summer, PolySeSouvient spokesperson Nathalie Provost wrote to federal Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc asking him to follow through on his plans to buy back banned assault weapons, including the AR-15, ban those that have slipped through the legislative cracks and strengthen regulations on high-capacity magazines.
At the time, LeBlanc’s office said it “continued to implement strict measures to combat gun violence.”