October 27, 2005

Diane Diotte, Clerk
Standing Committee on Justice, Human Rights and Emergency Preparedness
180 Wellington Street, Room 622
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6

Dear Ms. Diotte:

Re: NOTICE OF MOTION

I wish to give the Committee notice of the following motion.

Whereas the amendment to Firearms Act section 12(6.1) passed by Parliament in Bill C-10A [Royal Assent: May 13, 2003 Statutes of Canada: 2003, c. 8] has not been implemented due to an inadvertent delay bringing these amendments into force;

And Whereas, the clear intent of Parliament by amending the Firearms Act was to “grandfather” the law-abiding owners of the handguns referred to in section 12(6.1;

And Whereas, the Law and Government Division of the Parliamentary Information and Research Service have confirmed that section 12(6.1) can not be implemented without a further amendment to the Firearms Act;

And Whereas, the Minister of Public Safety has informed the Justice Committee that the government has no intention of bringing in a further amendment to the Firearms Act to implement the intent of Parliament to grandfather these law-abiding handgun owners;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Justice Committee examine the issue and report to the House with their recommendations with respect to bringing section 12(6.1) of the Firearms Act into full force and effect.

Note: French translation attached

I have also attached copies of yesterday’s Hansard in both official langauges with my introduction of Private Members’ Bill C-433 . My proposed one clause amendment to the Firearms Act shows how easy it would be for the government to fix this problem. The alternative is the expense of hundreds of law suits.

Sincerely,

Garry Breitkreuz, MP
Yorkton-Melville

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MOTION BREITKREUZ

Attendu que la modification du paragraphe 12(6.1) de la Loi sur les armes à feu adoptée par le Parlement dans le projet de loi C-10A ?sanction royale : 13 mai 2003, Lois du Canada, 2003, c. 8? n’a pas encore été appliquée en raison de retards fortuits dans l’entrée en vigueur des modifications;

Attendu que l’intention du Parlement en modifiant la Loi sur les armes était clairement d’exempter les propriétaires d’armes à feu respectueux de la loi de l’application du paragraphe 12(6.1);

Attendu que la Division du droit et du gouvernement du Service d’information et de recherche parlementaires a confirmé que le paragraphe 12(6.1) ne peut être appliqué sans que la Loi sur les armes ne soit modifiée;

Et attendu que la ministre de la Sécurité publique a informé le Comité de la justice que le gouvernement n’a pas l’intention de modifier de nouveau la Loi sur les armes à feu pour respecter l’intention du Parlement d’exempter les propriétaires d’armes a feu respectueux de loi;

IL EST RÉSOLU que le Comité de la justice examine la question et présente un rapport à la Chambre avec ses recommandations sur l’entrée en vigueur du paragraphe 12(6.1) de la Loi sur les armes à feu.


October 26, 2005 - Mr. Garry Breitkreuz (Yorkton—Melville, CPC) moved for leave to introduce Bill C-433, An Act to amend the Firearms Act (registration of handguns).
http://www.cssa-cila.org/garryb/inthehouse/Motions/05_oct27.htm

June 15, 2005 - Library of Parliament paper entitled: Section 12(6.1) Handguns First Registered Between 14 February 1995 and 1 December 1998.

EXCERPT: Although Bill C-10A amended the Firearms Act to allow pre-December 1998 s. 12(6.1) handguns to be grandfathered if a registration certificate has been “continuously” held, there was no legal authority for the Canada Firearms Centre to renew the certificates until the relevant amendments came into force. By that time, it was too late to ensure continuous registration, as the certificates had already expired. Because the expiry of the registration certificates in December 2002 and the “continuous” requirement were both set by law, the Canada Firearms Centre may not issue registration certificates for s. 12(6.1) handguns first registered between 14 February 1995 and 1 December 1998 without a legislative amendment.

Click here to read the full report:
http://www.cssa-cila.org/garryb/publications/2005_lp_12(61)handguns_06_15.doc