Lost, stolen or misplaced: RCMP officer forgot service firearm in a backpack; two more stolen in personal burglaries

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Details of missing weapons that were in the care and control of federal police officers came to light in a response to an inquiry of ministries by Conservative MP Dave MacKenzie for the Ontario riding of Oxford.

According to order paper documents published by the House of Commons, in 2019, two RCMP service firearms were stolen in burglaries of personal property and another was simply forgotten in a backpack:

An RCMP member's home was broken into in Manitoba. His intervention tools including a personal-issued pistol that were locked in a safe were stolen.

An RCMP member's intervention tools were stolen from his personal vehicle in Nova Scotia including his personal-issue service pistol.

An RCMP member was on a course in Ontario, he accidentally left his small backpack that contained his personal-issue pistol.

In another incident, the Canada Border Services Agency lost one firearm in a shipping mishap.

Purolator misplaced a shipment of a CBSA firearm from the Coutts, Alberta RCMP detachment. The consignment of one Beretta PX Storm firearm, with magazines, was headed to the RCMP depot in Regina.

“Purolator lost a shipment of a firearm shipped from Coutts, AB to the RCMP Depot,” the response read.

In the span of three days in February 2019, the border agency lost two batons. One explanation offered stated, “BSO [a border services officer] reported that he lost his baton. Looked everywhere, but cannot find it.”

The Liberal government quietly sneaked through new changes to existing gun laws through an order in council that are set to come into effect on May 18, 2022. There will now be a requirement for Canadian firearms sellers to keep comprehensive data on purchasers regardless of the classification of the firearm. Another new regulation will require sellers to seek permission from the RCMP Chief Registrar before changing ownership.

READ THE ORDER PAPER QUESTION RESPONSE HERE: