The Department of Public Safety yesterday said it has no specific research indicating new gun controls will reduce gun crime. Initiatives were based on a general sense that fewer legal guns would make for safer homes, witnesses told the Commons public safety committee..“I think Canadians would want to know the department has done a study that the outcomes will lead to enhanced public safety,” said Conservative MP Dane Lloyd (Sturgeon River-Parkland, Alta.). “Does the department have such a study or analysis that would indicate these programs will increase public safety?”.“I don’t know exactly what impact it will have,” replied Talal Dakalbab, assistant deputy minister of public safety..According to Blacklock's Reporter, cabinet’s Bill C-21 An Act To Amend Certain Acts would prohibit all new sales of handguns in Canada. Cabinet in 2020 also proposed a buy-back program of some 1,500 high-powered firearms. The Parliamentary Budget Office in a 2020 report put expenses at $756 million, but cautioned figures were incomplete..“Does your evidence show the handgun freeze and gun buy-back will lead to enhanced public safety or is that just something you’re speculating will happen?” said Lloyd. “All guns are subject to risk,” replied Assistant Deputy Dakalbab..Liberal MP Taleeb Noormohamed (Vancouver Granville) pressed witnesses for a more definitive answer. “For me this always come down to people,” said Noormohamed. “In 2020, 173 women were killed by either present or former intimate partners. 40% of those were killed using guns, or just about 40%.”.“Do you believe that had Bill C-21 been in effect earlier some of those lives would have been saved?” asked Noormohamed. “We do know obviously there is a five times greater chance of a fatality involving intimate partner violence when there’s a firearm present,” replied RCMP Deputy Commissioner Bryan Larkin..“It’s very difficult to surmise what could have been prevented or not," he said..“But is it fair to say based on your comments that fewer guns in homes means likely fewer gun deaths?” asked Noormohamed. “The reduction of firearms in the home potentially can lead to a safer residence,” replied Larkin..“I am sincerely hopeful that it will help,” interjected Assistant Deputy Dakalbab. Neither the Department of Public Safety nor RCMP estimated the cost of the two programs..Cabinet introduced Bill C-21 last May 30. The Department of Foreign Affairs on August 19 banned legal imports of handguns under the Export And Import Permits Act, the same federal law used to restrict shipments of U.S. dairy products..The gun buy-back program fixed an original deadline of April 30, 2022 to have owners surrender as many as 518,000 firearms to local police. The deadline passed without any new schedule.
