Senator Plett: Of course, leader, there is no argument that this government is spending needless amounts — millions and millions of dollars — on what they are doing. That was not even mentioned in my question.

Let’s see if you can answer this question without the help of my friend Senator Lankin.

The Prime Minister likes to point to increasing jail time for illegal gun smugglers, from 10 years to 14 years through Bill C-5, as evidence that he is doing something on gun smuggling. A recent answer to a written question on the Order Paper states that for criminal cases between April 2019 and March 2020, where gun smuggling was the most serious offence:

Of the eight cases, two resulted in convictions and six resulted in stays of proceedings or charges being withdrawn. Of the two cases involving findings of guilt for an offence under section 103, one involved a period of imprisonment of greater than 24 months and one involved a period of probation between 2 and 3 years.

Leader, the Library of Parliament could not find a single instance in the past 20 years when even the current maximum of 10 years had ever been imposed by a court.

So, leader, how does raising the minimum to 14 years achieve anything? They are not even receiving the 10 that exists now. Where is the real action necessary to combat illegal gun smuggling across the border? When does it start, leader?