Mark Carney, the Leader of the Liberal Party, has unveiled his gun control

Mark Carney, the Leader of the Liberal Party, has unveiled his gun control proposals, stating that his government will implement stricter bail regulations. "You can't genuinely commit to being tough on crime if you're not also serious about tackling gun issues," Carney remarked on April 10.

He confirmed that his administration would maintain the gun buyback initiative initiated by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In 2021, Trudeau introduced Bill C-21, which enforced more rigorous gun control measures and a buyback scheme for over 1,500 firearm models banned in Canada. This program was launched following a mass shooting in Nova Scotia in 2020 that resulted in 22 fatalities. The legislation was enacted in 2023, and the list of prohibited firearms has since expanded. "We will swiftly, and I mean swiftly, reinvigorate the buyback of assault-style weapons, leaving the classification of new gun models to the experts at the RCMP, not to the firearms industry," Carney stated at a news conference in Brampton, Ontario. The buyback program has already commenced for businesses, including firearms retailers, distributors, and manufacturers. Before the election, the Liberal government indicated that the program would extend to individual gun owners this spring. The expected cost of the initiative is around $2 billion. Carney also pledged to enhance law enforcement's capacity to locate firearms involved in crimes. "We will invest in the national forensic laboratories of the RCMP in Ottawa and Surrey, as well as the Saskatchewan ballistics lab, to improve our ability to trace firearms used in criminal activities," Carney said. As part of the Liberal strategy to combat crime and enhance public safety, he also revealed a series of reforms related to bail and crime enforcement, including setting a higher burden of proof for bail. Under Carney's proposal, those accused of violent car theft, car theft for criminal organizations, home invasions, and human trafficking will need to prove that they do not pose a public safety risk to be released from custody. Additionally, Carney plans to recruit an extra thousand RCMP officers, increase pay for cadets, and train additional border agents to mitigate gun smuggling from the U.S.

In detailing the plan, the Liberals reiterated existing laws, such as revoking gun licenses for individuals convicted of violent offenses, including domestic violence. During the conference, Carney also announced plans to introduce legislation that protects public spaces. "It will become a criminal offense to intentionally obstruct access to places of worship, schools, or community centers," he declared. The proposed legislation will also criminalize willful intimidation or threats against those attending religious ceremonies or events at worship centers, schools, and community centers. Moreover, Carney has committed to imposing harsher penalties for those who target children, including new laws addressing online exploitation and child luring. The Liberals plan to finance youth programs aimed at preventing criminal involvement through the Building Safer Communities Fund. On the other side, the Conservatives have prioritized public safety in their campaign platform. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has promised measures aimed at enhancing community safety, including a commitment to prevent individuals convicted of three serious offenses from receiving bail, probation, parole, or house arrest. This is what they refer to as the "Three Strikes and You're Out" law.

"We will ensure that the most violent offenders are incarcerated for longer periods, guaranteeing they do not return to society while still posing a danger," Poilievre stated. According to the Conservatives, convicted individuals will need to demonstrate "spotless behavior" and "clean drug tests" before being considered for release. Poilievre also announced plans for new legislation creating a formal offense for "assault of an intimate partner." The Conservative Party has pledges for the "strictest bail conditions for those accused of intimate partner violence," potentially including GPS ankle monitoring.

Any breach of these conditions would result in immediate imprisonment. For those charged with the murder of a spouse or partner, a child, or a partner's child, the crime would be prosecuted as first-degree murder, the Conservatives emphasized. Additionally, Poilievre has asserted that life sentences will become mandatory for those found guilty of five or more counts of human trafficking, importing or exporting ten or more illegal firearms, or trafficking fentanyl. Matthew Horwood and Noé Chartier contributed to this report.

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