OTTAWA—Premier Doug Ford’s government has tapped Ottawa for only $11 million or 17 per cent of an available pot of $65 million that the federal government set aside for Ontario to combat illegal guns and gangs, says Bill Blair.

Blair, the former Toronto police chief now minister in charge of border security and organized crime, told a parliamentary committee that Ontario is eligible for $65 million over five years, to come out of a $214-million five-year fund.

That’s more than 30 per cent of the money available for all provinces and territories.

Blair said “in fairness” Ontario’s share is subject to “ongoing discussions” but he made clear there is a lot of money still unspent.

“The money remains there for allocation to the province of Ontario when they’re ready to use it,” said Blair.

“But they’ve identified so far just in two years of the program $11 million in initiatives they’re prepared to undertake with that money.”

It’s another volley in a series of not-so-veiled criticisms the federal Liberals have made lately of Ford’s Progressive Conservative government for failing to work with Ottawa, most recently they said Ford hasn’t come to the table to negotiate on infrastructure projects with Ottawa.

Blair said “we’ve certainly come and done our best” and stressed that Ottawa has made other “significant” spending announcements, for example, to help community organizations that work with troubled youth to keep them out of criminal gangs.

Blair’s fellow Liberal MP, Ruby Sahota of Brampton, said municipal representatives in her riding are concerned about rising gun violence as the summer season gets warmer, and asked Blair if the municipality could access the money “directly” by going to the federal government.

But the federal minister said the money is “appropriately and necessarily allocated through the provincial governments.”

“So I would encourage all municipalities to reach out to their respective provincial government for discussions how they might access money that’s coming from the federal government to the provincial government.”

Blair said his discussions with other provinces have been “positive” and while he did not directly criticize Ford, his statements were pointed enough.

Blair said the federal Liberals have gone further than previous governments to put money into combating illegal guns and gangs, citing his role as former Toronto police chief. “I am not aware of funding of this magnitude previously.”

He cited funding the previous Conservative government offered in 2008 for “police officer recruitment” but Blair said that fund was “terminated” in 2013.

In a much testier exchange, Conservative MP Glenn Motz challenged Blair to say whether the Liberal cabinet is set to ban handguns or assault style weapons, possibly as early as this week.

Blair declined a direct answer.

“We are looking at all the measures that we believe could help keep Canadians safe,” he said.

Motz grilled Blair to define what he means by the government is looking at assault weapons or assault style weapons.

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“I suspect you’re referring to automatic rifles, automatic firearms which you know have been prohibited in this country since 1976,” Motz said.

There is no particular definition of an assault weapon. Blair said the concerns he’s heard from Canadians and that he is worried about are “firearms that were designed for military purpose.”

“I don’t know what that means, you’re referring to, in reality, modern hunting rifles,” Motz replied. “The very fact you make that statement I find it extremely offensive, I find it misguided, I find it misinformed and you’re misleading the Canadian public with that. Canadian licensed firearms owners are offended.”

“I’m sorry you’re offended,” retorted Blair, but went on to say he was thinking of the firearm used to kill three Mounties in Moncton, which he said was “designed for use by military, created and designed by the military.”

“What was the firearm?” Motz shot back.

“I believe it was the M14,” replied Blair. Blair said he was also thinking about the weapons used to kill two officers and two private citizens in Fredericton, the weapon used to kill 14 women at the Ecole Polytechnique, and worshippers in a mosque in Quebec.

“These are all weapons that were not designed as hunting weapons,” said Blair. “They were designed for soldiers to kill enemy combatants.”

Motz and Blair argued over whether a crime had ever been committed in Canada with the weapon that Blair said was “used to kill a whole bunch of kids in Sandy Hook.”

In the end, answering another Liberal MP, Blair insisted that his mandate was to “keep Canadians safe” but he said the Liberal government also recognizes the majority of licensed firearms owners in Canada are responsible, they store and use, and dispose of their firearms “according to law.”

“Firearm ownership in this country is a privilege that is predicated on people’s willingness and acceptance of our laws and regulations…and in my experience the overwhelming majority of Canadians are exceptionally responsible and law-abiding with respect to their firearms.”

“Those are not dangerous people, and particularly hunters and farmers and sports shooters, said Blair. “They’re very, very careful with their weapons and we just have to make sure those weapons don’t end up in the hands of people who would commit violent crimes with them.”

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