An amendment to proposed gun legislation introduced by Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MP Alex Ruff has received unanimous support from the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security.
“It’s just providing that clarity for firearms owners that they can seek permission to store their firearms with someone else while they’re dealing with mental health without fear of losing it,” says Ruff.
The amendment addresses Authorization to Transport (ATT) a firearm for someone who, it says, “wishes to transport the firearm to another individual or business who holds a licence authorizing that individual or business to possess prohibited firearms or restricted firearms for purposes of storage for the time necessary for the individual to address a mental illness or similar problem,”
Ruff says, for example, a veteran dealing with post-traumatic stress, would have the ability to have their firearm temporarily stored with another appropriate, licenced individual or business.
Ruff says the amendment means to make clear that a firearm owner is able to transfer their firearms and seek help, rather than avoiding help out of concern their firearms may be seized and not returned. “So they don’t sort of turn away from seeking the necessary help,” says Ruff.
He gives the example of a veteran who may be experiencing post-traumatic stress and feel triggered by something, or perhaps a person is going through a difficult separation. Ruff says, “The best way to do it, is to take the firearms out of the household so it doesn’t further complicate an issue.”
He adds, “As well, it provides initial clarity to our chief firearms officers across the country to know that this is a venue, and through my discussions with the officials, especially within the firearms program that would likely help them in a prioritization standpoint to address these types of requests when they come in.”
Ruff says the case could be made that the Firearms Act included it already, but he says, “What my amendment does is provide that clarity to the community and to the chief firearms officers right across the country so that there’s no misinterpretation of the intent behind what federal parliamentarians have passed.”
To get the firearms back, a person would have to apply for Authorization to Transfer again, at which point the Chief Firearms Officer would assess the request. Ruff says it’s up to the public service to determine the working details of that process.
The amendment was supported by the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security as part of Bill C-21, (An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)).
The conservatives, including Ruff, have been heavily critical of many aspects of Bill C-21 as it’s moved through committee discussions and debate in the House of Commons. As of Wednesday evening, it was at third reading. If passed by a majority of parliamentarians, it will then go to the Senate for debate.
My final words on Bill #C21 before it passes to the Senate w/NDP support. The Liberals continue to tgt law-abiding firearms owners vice criminals. “The fact that I introduced a nec amendment to make the bill less worse does not make it a useful bill. It is still a useless bill.” pic.twitter.com/VyhVpJMPy6
— Alex Ruff (@AlexRuff17) May 18, 2023