Hon. Stan Kutcher: Honourable senators, I rise today to speak to Bill C-21, specifically on an important topic that this bill may impact on but that has not been really addressed to date; that is, what the impact of this bill will be on suicide rates in Canada. My hope is that, by raising this issue, when the bill is referred to committee, the committee will seek input from expert witnesses on suicide prevention and gun control legislation.

Colleagues, before proceeding I would like to acknowledge that the material and the subject of my intervention can be very difficult for some people. It deals with life and death issues. It will touch on mental illness and self-harm. I would encourage any of our colleagues and anyone who is listening or watching this debate to know that if you are having difficulties or thoughts of self-harm, please seek help. Asking for help is a sign of strength, and there are many avenues for help and support.

The importance of suicide prevention is well known in this chamber. The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology will soon be tabling its report on the study of the effectiveness of the national Suicide Prevention Framework in decreasing rates of suicide in Canada. Numerous senators have spoken to the importance of suicide prevention during our debate on the motion for said study, as well as debates on recent legislation in which the topic of suicide prevention was raised.

I think we can safely say that our debates were very much in support of effective measures to reduce suicide rates in Canada. The most effective public health measure for suicide prevention is means restriction, such as better controls around gun availability.

Suicide disproportionately impacts men. About 75% of those who die by suicide in Canada are men, and suicide is three times as common in men compared to women. The statistics related to suicide and guns are disheartening. Many studies have noted that firearms play a significant role in completed suicides, especially in men.

The accessibility of lethal means such as guns during times of despair can swiftly transform impulsive thought into irreversible action.

In Canada, in the five years between 2016 and 2020, 2,777 men died from firearm suicide. Over that same period, 82 women died by similar means. That is a ratio of about 33 to 1 — 10 times greater than the overall male-to-female suicide ratio.

For additional context, when all fatal firearm injuries for that period are considered, about 70% were suicides — not homicides, colleagues, suicides. Of gun-related deaths in Canada, 70% are suicides.

A recent study in Ontario found that over two thirds of firearm-related deaths were suicides, mostly men and mostly in rural areas. On average, during that period in Canada, about 550 men died by gun-related suicide per year. Compare that to a rate of less than 50 deaths per year from testicular cancer. And merely owning a handgun is associated with much higher rates of suicide.

A recent study of about 26 million people followed for a period of 12 years noted:

Men who owned handguns were eight times more likely than men who didn’t to die of self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Women who owned handguns were more than 35 times more likely than women who didn’t to kill themselves with a gun.

As policy-makers who are truly concerned about suicide prevention, we bear the responsibility of recognizing this relationship between firearm ownership and suicide and the need to take decisive action to address it. By acknowledging the connection between firearm ownership and suicide risk, we have the power to save lives and create a safer environment for all.

Today, I would like to empathize the need for your support of a bill that limits access to firearms. By so doing, we may be able to reduce impulsive acts of self-harm that have a high probability of resulting in death. Robust research consistently demonstrates that when individuals in crisis face restricted access to lethal means, the likelihood of suicide diminishes. One of the best public health strategies for suicide prevention in males is limiting access to guns.

It is important to acknowledge that many different concerns regarding this bill — other than suicide prevention — have been raised. We have seen some of the discussion between Senator Plett and Senator Yussuff addressing those important issues.

We must address those concerns and seek common ground. Balancing responsible firearms access and suicide prevention related to firearms can be an attainable goal — one that respects the rights of gun owners while prioritizing public safety and the preservation of lives.

Effective implementation requires collaboration, open dialogue and a willingness to find innovative solutions. We must draw upon the expertise of various stakeholders, including gun owners, mental health professionals, law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations. Enacting well-informed firearms legislation that recognizes these complexities should be our goal.

We have an opportunity through our study of Bill C-21 to better understand how legislative interventions can be implemented to achieve the goal of means restricted suicide prevention as it applies to firearms in Canada.

Some studies of the impact of Bill C-51, Canada’s Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1977, have suggested that legislation may have had an impact in decreasing gun-related suicide. Other studies of the impact of that legislation and other bills — Bill C-17 in 1991 and Bill C-68 in 1995 — suggested more nuanced outcomes.

Realizing that not all legislation related to firearms restrictions is the same, I hope that the committee studying Bill C-21 considers how to encourage the government to conduct a detailed analysis of the impact of this bill on firearm suicide rates in males in Canada. We need to know that information. The committee could make a point of calling witnesses who can help us understand that and how that works in Canada.

Colleagues, as we critically study this legislation, we need to address the multitude of issues that it touches upon. Like you, I have been made aware of numerous concerns — reasonable and good concerns — about Bill C-21 raised by many Canadians. Although I have waded through countless emails and letters, I have not seen anyone raise this issue — that is, the relationship between male suicide rates and gun ownership in the Canadian context.

Thank you for allowing me to raise it here. I hope the committee will consider calling witnesses who can speak to this issue in more depth, and that we all keep this important association in mind as we ponder how we move this legislation forward. Thank you, wela’lioq.

(On motion of Senator Martin, debate adjourned.)

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