On Thursday, the Senate approved the Firearms Amendment Bill - and it has already gone to the Governor General for her assent. So, the Commissioner of Police is no longer the one authorized to issue gun licenses. The bill takes away the sole authority and discretion to issue licenses from the seat of the Commissioner of Police and vests it in a three person Firearms and Ammunition Control Board.
So who will be on that board?
Today the Minister told us they are looking for qualified individuals:
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"I believe that might have already been signed into law by the Governor General."
Courtney Menzies:
"Do you know when?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"I'm not certain it's usually a few days after the Senate but I can check on it to see if it's been signed into law."
Courtney Menzies:
"So now what's the process for someone who wants to get this service?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"To get the service of course we have to start off by getting the composition of the board together, the selection process, as you know it will have on the board a magistrate, a current sitting magistrate, a CEO and as well a member of the police department from the dangerous goods section and so that is the process, I suspect the composition should take somewhere between three weeks to a month."
Reporter:
"Are there considerations for the candidates to fill these posts?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"We haven't gotten to that point yet but I'm certain we will be looking at the best qualified individuals to hold these positions."
Courtney Menzies:
"So during this time, this lapse, is the ComPol still in charge of issuing gun licenses?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"No, the law has already been changed."
Courtney Menzies:
"So nobody can get a gun license right now?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"No, that is temporary on a moratorium."
