Interim RCMP commissioner would support Criminal Code changes for stricter gun laws
Interim RCMP commissioner would support Criminal Code changes for stricter gun laws
Interim RCMP commissioner Michael Duheme says he would support the Criminal Code changes recommended in the Mass Casualty Commission report to implement stricter gun laws.
Duheme — who took over the RCMP’s top job earlier this month — told CTV’s Question Period host Vassy Kapelos, in an interview airing Sunday, he is in favour of legislative changes for stricter gun measures that would be geared at improving safety for law enforcement and citizens.
“Any amendment to the Criminal Code that makes it safer for us to operate, and for the population, I think that's always a really good thing,” he said. “And I would be very supportive of that.”
While Duheme said that as of Friday he hadn’t yet read the 3,000-page Mass Casualty Commission report in its entirety, he said he’s “committed to going through the entire document,” and principle supports the legislative changes recommended in it.
The Mass Casualty Commission makes 130 recommendations, many of them detailing the need for RCMP reform, as well as listing a series of “failures” by law enforcement, after a more than two-year examination of the worst mass shooting in Canadian history, which left 22 people dead in April 2020.
Duheme said he is working through the report, starting with the section dedicated to policing and the need for “significant changes” to the RCMP.
“I'm also committed to make sure that all the recommendations that are there, that we follow up on them, that we show progress on the recommendations, and that the general public can follow the progress of the recommendation, the work we're doing,” he said. “That to me is building trust … on the accountability side with Nova Scotians and Canadians.”
When asked about specific recommendations, particularly those related to “reducing access to the most dangerous, high-capacity firearms and ammunition,” Duheme said he agrees in principle.
The report suggests several Criminal Code changes, including to prohibit specific semi-automatic handguns and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns, and to limit the size of firearms’ magazines.
“I have not read that specific recommendation, but any measures that would be brought forward to ensure that the public safety is safer, I am very supportive of,” Duheme said, when pressed on whether restrictions on people’s ability to access certain firearms or ammunition would lead to better outcomes.
The Liberals have committed in successive elections to move forward on gun control measures.
Shortly after the shootings in Nova Scotia in 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a ban on 1,500 assault-style weapons, including weapons used by the perpetrator.
And, a Liberal proposal to further tighten gun laws to include “red flag” provisions and restrict legal access to handguns remains before Parliament, after a proposed amendment to enshrine in law a definition for "assault-style" weapons, became a point of contention.
Trudeau on Thursday thanked the commissioners for their work, and said his government would be reading the report to figure out next steps on the recommendations.
“We will take the time now to properly digest and understand the recommendations, and the conclusions, and the opportunities that the commission has put forward for us to take up,” he said. “There's no question there need to be changes, and there will be, but we will take the time to get those right."
With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Bruce Frisko and CTVNews.ca’s Senior Digital Parliamentary Reporter Rachel Aiello
A New Democrat MP is trying to convince his colleagues to change the rules that govern the House of Commons in a series of ways he says would instill 'democratic controls' on the prime minister's 'unfettered' powers.
Monday morning, the Public Service Alliance of Canada announced it had reached a 'tentative' agreement with the federal government for the 120,000 picketing Treasury Board workers who, since April 19, had been engaged in one of the largest strikes in Canadian history. Here's a rundown of the developments from Parliament Hill as they happened.
The House committee studying foreign election interference heard from top 2019 and 2021 Liberal and Conservative campaign directors on Tuesday, with party officials from both camps speaking about the need for politicians to come together to address any "legislative gaps" ahead of the next vote.
In the 2023 federal budget, the government is unveiling continued deficit spending targeted at Canadians' pocketbooks, public health care and the clean economy.
U.S President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have announced updates on a number of cross-border issues, after a day of meetings on Parliament Hill.
Danielle Smith's win in the Alberta election hands her the most starkly divided province confronting any premier in Canada, writes commentator Don Martin.
Special rapporteur David Johnston didn't recommend public inquiry knowing it was a pathetically insufficient response for a foreign democratic assault of this magnitude, writes Don Martin in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca.
To frame a few new illustrations on pages tucked inside a passport as proof of a Liberal plot to purge the Canadian historical record seems like a severe stretch, writes Don Martin in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino is a bright former federal prosecutor, who was destined to be a star in Justin Trudeau's cabinet. But in an opinion column on CTVNews.ca, Don Martin argues Mendicino has taken a stunning fall from grace, stumbling badly on important issues just 18 months into the job.
It's the most peculiar of elections with the frontrunner and her main opponent being the same person, writes columnist Don Martin. 'In the looming Alberta showdown, it's Premier Danielle Smith versus her mouth.'
The Canadian economy grew faster than expected in the first three months of the year and likely expanded again in April, fuelling speculation that the Bank of Canada will raise interest rates again.
A former staffer who accused Joe Biden of sexual assault has defected to Moscow and spoken to Russian state media in a news conference that lasted several hours.
Wildfires in Nova Scotia have burned thousands of hectares across the province, forcing many to flee their homes. Halifax-area residents tell CTV News what it was like for them when they had to evacuate.
As text-generative artificial intelligence programs like ChatGPT change the tide of web surfing, one Toronto blogger warns of a “seismic shift” in search engine optimization.
Imagine being struck with a sudden onset of confusion, struggling to think of words or to recognize your surroundings — and even ending up in the emergency department because of it. No, this isn’t a description of dementia, but of a common complication that can arise from serious liver disease.
He's heir to the throne in one of the oldest monarchies in the Middle East and a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. She's a Saudi architect with an aristocratic pedigree of her own.
A Quebec forensics company promised millions of dollars in bribes to officials in the Philippines, including a cabinet minister and his brother, as it sought lucrative police contracts, according to a statement of facts attached to a deal the firm struck to avoid prosecution in Canada.
A Quebec forensics company promised millions of dollars in bribes to officials in the Philippines, including a cabinet minister and his brother, as it sought lucrative police contracts, according to a statement of facts attached to a deal the firm struck to avoid prosecution in Canada.
The Canadian economy grew faster than expected in the first three months of the year and likely expanded again in April, fuelling speculation that the Bank of Canada will raise interest rates again.
Wildfires in Nova Scotia have burned thousands of hectares across the province, forcing many to flee their homes. Halifax-area residents tell CTV News what it was like for them when they had to evacuate.
Whether travelling by plane, train or automobile, francophone travellers are struggling to access services in their language, Canada's official languages commissioner said Tuesday.
He's heir to the throne in one of the oldest monarchies in the Middle East and a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. She's a Saudi architect with an aristocratic pedigree of her own.
A blast early Wednesday at a military base controlled by a Syria-backed Palestinian faction in eastern Lebanon killed five Palestinian militants and wounded 10 others, according to two Palestinian officials with the group.
Sudan's military suspended its participation in talks with a paramilitary force it's been battling for weeks for control of the northeastern African country, a military spokesman said Wednesday.
A Moscow court on Wednesday set a new date for a hearing paving the way for another trial of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny that could keep him in prison for decades.
International efforts to defuse a crisis in Kosovo intensified Wednesday as ethnic Serbs held more protests in a northern town where clashes with NATO-led peacekeepers earlier this week left dozens injured and sparked fears of renewed conflict in the troubled region.
Fresh off leading Alberta's United Conservative Party to a majority victory on Monday night, Premier Danielle Smith says she wants to 'reset' her relationship with the federal government, while readying to invoke the province's sovereignty act over emissions targets, if needed.
Conservative MP Erin O'Toole says Canada's spy agency has told him he was the target of Chinese interference intended to to discredit him and promote false narratives about his policies while party leader.
Federal Liberals say they continue to have confidence in David Johnston's work as foreign interference special rapporteur, despite opposition MPs calling for him to step down after recommending against a public inquiry. During debate, opposition MPs spoke about being targeted by China, while at committee former federal security officials voiced support for an inquiry.
Nevada's Joe Lombardo on Tuesday became one of the first Republican governors to enshrine protections for out-of-state abortion patients and in-state providers, adding the western swing state to the list of those passing new laws to solidify their status as safe havens for people seeking abortions.
Russian lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a draft bill that would impose a ban on gender-affirming surgery, the latest move in the Kremlin-orchestrated crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights.
Imagine being struck with a sudden onset of confusion, struggling to think of words or to recognize your surroundings — and even ending up in the emergency department because of it. No, this isn’t a description of dementia, but of a common complication that can arise from serious liver disease.
Gangs of killer whales have been causing chaos off the coast of Spain for the past few years, ramming into hundreds of boats, causing expensive damage to some and even sinking three since 2020. And UBC researchers have a theory why.
Top artificial intelligence executives including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Tuesday joined experts and professors in raising the 'risk of extinction from AI,' which they urged policymakers to equate at par with risks posed by pandemics and nuclear war.
As text-generative artificial intelligence programs like ChatGPT change the tide of web surfing, one Toronto blogger warns of a “seismic shift” in search engine optimization.
A third man has been charged in the 2002 shooting death of Run-DMC star Jam Master Jay, prosecutors said Tuesday, marking the latest movement in a case that languished for years.
Hard-fought to the end, the debt ceiling and budget cuts package is heading toward a crucial U.S. House vote as President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy assemble a coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans to push it to passage over fierce blowback from conservatives and some progressive dissent.
The Canadian economy grew faster than expected in the first three months of the year and likely expanded again in April, fuelling speculation that the Bank of Canada will raise interest rates again.
Locals call it "watermelon salad." But this delicacy popular in the southern Gaza Strip at this time of year is far from the sweet, refreshing taste the name evokes.
The big cheese of extreme U.K. sports events is back. The first racer to finish behind the fast-rolling cheese gets to keep it. Canadian contestant Delaney Irving, 19, won the women's race despite being briefly knocked unconscious.
French Sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said Wednesday that Novak Djokovic's political message about Kosovo was "not appropriate" and warned the former top-ranked Serb player that he should not do it again.
Shopping for a new electric vehicle can seem a bit like the Wild West. While most people are familiar with Tesla and established automakers, they're less likely to know much about all-new companies looking to replicate the success of Tesla and take a share of the quickly growing market. Edmunds highlights five EV startups for shoppers willing to take the plunge.
China's industry minister met Tesla Ltd. CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday and the two discussed development of electric and "intelligent networked" vehicles, the ministry said.
Fernando Alonso has five podiums in six races in a remarkable season for Aston Martin, yet still feels he's no closer to catching Red Bull's Max Verstappen. The two-time Formula One champions now head to a race with special significance for both of them.
