There will be no list of prohibited assault-type weapons in the definition that Ottawa wants to enshrine in its Bill C-21, through new amendments following up on those that were withdrawn in February in the face of an outcry.
“We are not bringing back a list,” Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed on Tuesday after testimony in committee.
During his appearance, he had already displayed his colors, although more subtly, when he was questioned by Bloc member Kristina Michaud.
The Bloc Québécois rejects the idea of including a list since the party believes that it is precisely the fact that there was one in the aborted amendments that generated confusion and concern. Hunters and members of indigenous communities feared that weapons used for hunting were targeted.
Ms. Michaud maintained Tuesday that it would be difficult to update such a list after its adoption in the form of a bill. After she had asked the Minister if he concluded that it is possible, at the technical level, to have an effective definition without establishing a list of models of weapons, he replied that “yes”.
“I got a lot of ‘feedback’ on this list question. […] It’s really technical. She [était] really long, but I think the best way we can move forward with a policy that is very, very strong and without a list is with a technical definition, with your collaboration and that of the other committee members,” said Mr. Mendicino.
In the press scrum, he also expressed the opinion that the confusion surrounding the abandoned amendments came from the famous list.
“You heard the concerns about the length and complexity of the wording of this list, how difficult it was to disentangle the technical terms, which weapons were prohibited, which were not, and which were explicitly exempted,” he said. he told reporters.
The new set of amendments to come will also force arms manufacturers to play their part when they put, for example, new models on the market, according to what the minister mentioned.
“I think there is an opportunity to look at an amendment that will tighten up Bill C-21 so that manufacturers are required to work with authorities in the classification of weapons, including those who could fall under the definition of prohibited weapons, ”he explained in response to a question from New Democrat Peter Julian.
The amendments which are still to be finalized should be presented shortly. In the morning, New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh attributed the merit of these next provisions to his political formation.
“We’re going to have laws that target manufacturers for the first time and make it clear that manufacturers can’t continue to use the loopholes they’re using,” Singh promised, saying his party would stage the march. to be continued.
Mr. Mendicino was less categorical, mentioning that the amendments could be tabled by Liberal MPs. ” We will see. It is the choice of the committee,” he said.
The Trudeau government, more than two months ago, backtracked on two amendments aimed at including in the law a definition of prohibited types of assault weapons.
The provisions withdrawn were intended to reinforce the ban decreed in 2020 for around 1,500 models and variants of this type of weapon. Their addition to C-21 — made during clause-by-clause consideration — sparked outrage among hunters and members of aboriginal communities.
After Minister Mendicino’s testimony on Tuesday, the PolySeSouvient organization said it was encouraged by the exchanges between Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Québécois. The group has been asking for months that the loophole created by the withdrawal of the amendments be closed.
PolySeSouvient made a point of recalling, in a press release, why a list had been considered even if “there are other means of protecting the prohibited status of assault weapons”.
“It is important to understand that the objective of such a measure was to protect the list of prohibited models against a future government which would seek to legalize them”, one can read.
The Trudeau government has promised to include in its Bill C-21 a definition of assault weapons that will prevent manufacturers from circumventing the ban that has been in place since 2020.
C-21 also contains measures that would strengthen the freezing of handguns. The legislation would also revoke firearms licenses for those who commit domestic violence or engage in stalking, as well as increase maximum penalties for smuggling and trafficking firearms from 10 to 14 years old.
On that last point, Conservative public safety critic Raquel Dancho said the current maximum penalties aren’t even being used right now. The Conservatives are fiercely opposed to the bill and want the Liberals to back down all the way.