Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the last few days, many Members of this House have risen to talk about the problems with the proposed federal gun control legislation. This particular legislation, Mr. Speaker, is 124 pages. So it isn't a small amendment that they are making to the proposed gun control legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to talk today about one of those problems which is included in the proposed legislation; that is, the administration of this particular act.

Mr. Speaker, under this act, any Canadian wanting to use a firearm will need to apply for a licence. Before a licence can be approved, there will need to be a verification process to ensure that the applicant does not break any of the rules such as those related to previous criminal convictions. There may be a payment process for licences to register a firearm. There will be a similar process of forms and payment. Certificates of registration need to be issued.

In many Canadian provinces, Mr. Speaker, people can easily travel to regional centres and it is easy for them to get to a central office to complete forms and to get to the banks to make the payments required. However, Mr. Speaker, this is not the case here in the north. Application will either have to be done by mail or there will be a need to create a bureaucracy in every community to handle licensing and registration. There is concern among many of my constituents that, not only will there be a lot of bureaucracy associated with owning and using firearms, but there may be a need for picture identification to get the registration certificate. This will be impossible, Mr. Speaker, in many of our northern locations.

At a time, Mr. Speaker, when Canada is struggling to control and reduce the national debt, it is surprising that the federal government would create an act like the one they are proposing. I believe there are large costs associated with creating the bureaucracy to both implement and monitor the licensing and registration provisions of the act alone. There is a provision in the act which allows the provinces to assume responsibility for the administration of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.