Prior to Marco Mendicino’s Tuesday appearance before the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU), rumours abounded that he would introduce new amendments to Bill C-21, or at least introduce an “evergreen” definition of “assault-style firearms”..He did neither..Instead, he attacked Conservative MPs on Committee and avoided every single question they asked..“How common is it now to sentence someone [gun smugglers] to 10 years, the current maximum?” asked Raquel Dancho (Kildonan—St. Paul, MB), referencing Bill C-21’s increase of the maximum penalty for gun smugglers from 10 years to 14 years..“I’ve worked on the front lines of the criminal justice system as a federal prosecutor,” Mendicino condescended. “I have confidence in the judiciary to exercise good judgment when it comes to making sure that we separate those gun traffickers from our communities when we need to do so.”.Confidence is good, but we must examine the facts of how gun traffickers are sentenced under Trudeau’s Liberal government to determine if increasing maximum penalties makes any sense..“Since the liberals formed government in 2015,” Ms. Dancho said, “not one person has been awarded the current 10-year maximum sentence.”. Guns .Ms. Dancho’s question revealed more than the truth. It revealed the fact that Marco Mendicino doesn’t even know what information his own office provided to Raquel Dancho, other MPs or the public..“How would a gun ban have prevented the Portapique killer from accessing illegally smuggled firearms without a license?” asked Dane Lloyd (Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB)..Mendicino refused to answer the question in favour of Liberal talking points, which Lloyd refused to accept. The Portapique killer possessed illegal and smuggled guns, he said. The RCMP knew the killer had illegal guns in his possession and never bothered to investigate, Lloyd said..“Given that the killer was in possession of illegal firearms without a license, how would a ban do anything to prevent criminals from accessing firearms?”.It wouldn’t, of course, but Mendicino can’t admit the truth to himself, let alone to Canadians..RCMP “has no evidence” and “does not track that information”.Dane Lloyd then questioned the 10,000 joule muzzle velocity prohibition (2020 Order in Council) that bans very expensive antique firearms used for hunting big game..“Do you have any evidence,” Mr. Lloyd asked, “that these particular [antique] firearms used for hunting purposes have been used to commit crimes in Canada that would justify their inclusion on this list?”.RCMP deputy commissioner Bryan Larkin was crystal clear in his answer..“We don't have any evidence. We do not have that information.”.In 2021, a Statistics Canada report that said that a long gun, rifle, or shotgun was involved in or present at only 0.47% of all violent crimes..“Out of that percentage, 0.47%,” Dane Lloyd asked, “how many of those would be classified as an assault-style firearm?”.“We do not track that information… we don't have that information available,” deputy commissioner Larkin admitted..The RCMP has no evidence and refuses to track the most basic information about crimes committed with firearms. This may be shocking, but it’s not surprising..Glen Motz (Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB), asked if there was any documentation or evidence that Bill C-21 would have a practical, measurable impact on violent and drug/gang-related crime..“The bill (C-21,)” said Talal Dakalbab, Assistant Deputy Minister of Public Safety, “is really a step among any many other pillars that are important. And I do believe that Bill C 21 is one of the steps, but not the full spectrum.”.“Well, I would disagree with that assessment and I can,” said Glen Motz. “I don't see, and I've never seen, anyone produce any credible evidence that suggests that going after law abiding Canadian firearm owners will have any positive impact on public safety..What we're seeing here is that ideology drives every policy decision of Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government..Marco Mendicino is a former federal Crown prosecutor..Marco Mendicino knows that criminals who use illegal, smuggled guns are responsible for the shootings and murders committed almost daily across Canada..Mendicino knows licensed firearm owners are safe and responsible and that we own, use and story our firearms safely..But Marco Mendicino, like Bill Blair and Justin Trudeau before him, need a scapegoat, a bogeyman to scare Canadians into submission..Canadians aren’t bad people. They simply don’t have the time — especially given this Liberal government’s intentional destruction of our lives in almost every sector — to research and learn about violent crime, it’s root causes and the best solutions for it..Marco Mendicino doesn’t know how to stop drug dealers, gangs or other violent criminals from smuggling guns into Canada. He doesn’t have a clue how to get those illegal guns out of criminals’ hands either, nor does he care..Stopping drug-related and gang-related violence is simply not his priority. Pandering to uninformed urban voters is his priority..And so, the Liberal dumpster-fire that is Bill C-21 continues to burn and nobody, not even Marco Mendicino, seems interested in putting out that fire..The CSSA and Canada’s 2.2 million licensed firearm owners are grateful to MPs Raquel Dancho, Dane Lloyd and Glen Motz for their dedication to the truth and for their diligence in holding this Liberal government to account..You give us hope that common sense and integrity may, one day, once again grace the government side of the House of Commons..It will never happen under this Liberal government, as Tuesday’s SECU meeting showed all too well..Tony Bernardo is Executive Director of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association
