Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, issued the following statement on the National Day Against Gun Violence:
"Today marks the second National Day Against Gun Violence in Canada, held annually on the first Friday of June. It serves as an important reminder of the devastating impacts of gun violence, and as a call to action to put an end to it.
One of the ways we are taking action is by strengthening gun control. Bill C-21 received Royal Assent on December 15, 2023, and includes some of the strongest gun control laws in a generation. This includes a national freeze on the sale, purchase, and transfer of handguns, and provisions to fight gun smuggling and trafficking at our borders. It also contains measures to help address the role of guns in domestic and gender-based violence by introducing news "red flag" laws.
We are also investing in community-led initiatives to educate youth and steer them away from criminality, and we are working with provinces, territories, and law enforcement to prevent illegal firearms from entering our country.
The work of federal law enforcement agencies is crucial to keeping our communities safe. In 2023, the Canada Border Services Agency prevented over 900 prohibited firearms and more than 27,100 weapons from entering our country and ending up in our communities.
Today, let's remember the victims of gun violence, redouble our efforts to crack down on the criminal networks that fuel it, and build safer communities."
