My question is to the Solicitor General. Minister, I come from a riding with a great deal of hunters, target shooters and gun collectors. I want to make it clear that these are not the folks shooting up cities; gangs and organized crime are largely responsible for that.

On October 27, I wrote to you asking if Ontario will be joining the prairie provinces, New Brunswick and the Yukon in saying no to Justin Trudeau’s gun buyback. I haven’t received an answer yet.

Speaker, I’ve read what the federal government is proposing. It’s not worth the paper it’s written on, and it certainly will not curb gun violence or crime. I know talking about guns makes some of you uncomfortable, and I’m sure some of you will peg me as some sort of gun-toting Beth Dutton. I’m not, which makes me more credible: I have no interest to protect here. In fact, if an idea was brought forward that would save lives, I’d be the first to stand in my place and vote in favour to help—to help those students like my colleague from Scarborough–Guildwood mentioned earlier this morning. Until then, we all need to exercise common sense.

Speaker, to the minister: Will you be saying no to committing Ontario police resources to assist in the federal gun buyback?

Speaker, participating in the buyback will remove police from our streets, which will put more power into the hands of criminals. There will be fewer police to investigate domestic violence, homicides and even the real problem of gangs and smuggling.

Feel-good headlines on the 6 o’clock news never translate into good public policy, and in this case it gives the people of Ontario a false sense of security at their very large expense.

I am happy to hear that you want to push the feds to stop the smuggling of illegal weapons into Ontario and join Toronto mayor John Tory in his call for tougher bail reform.

Four other provinces and one territory agree with me. Speaker, to the Solicitor General: I like what you’re saying, but are you saying “no” to Justin Trudeau’s gun buyback?