Members of Parliament wasted no time launching a heated debate about gun control laws on Monday as a new session began in the House of Commons.

MPs began with a moment of silence for victims of the shooting rampage last Wednesday at Dawson College in Montreal that left one teen dead and 19 wounded.

Interim Liberal leader Bill Graham talked about the gun registry on Monday in the House of Commons.
(Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)

Anastasia De Sousa, 18, was killed when Kimveer Gill, 25, went to the downtown college and began randomly shooting people. Two other victims remain in critical condition.

Gill, injured by police in a shootout, killed himself, ending the rampage.

Interim Liberal leader Bill Graham began the Liberals' offensive against the Conservative government's attempt to scrap the gun law. The government has introduced a bill that would eliminate funding for the gun registry, which has been criticized for massive cost overruns.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper noted that his government has already introduced legislation that would mean greater penalties for violent crime.
(Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)

'Permissive culture of firearms'

"The silence we observed points out the extent to which today is a day of mourning for us all," said Graham.

"This has reminded us tragically that we cannot tolerate in this country a permissive culture of firearms."

Lucienne Robillard, Liberal MP for the Montreal riding where the shootings took place also repeatedly argued in favour of the gun law.

"If we can only save one life, why will this minority government not recognize the usefulness of the registry," she said.

But Prime Minister Stephen Harper argued that the shooting at Dawson College demonstrated that the current laws don't serve to protect the public.

"This government is determined to have more effective laws that would prevent such a tragedy in the future," he said.

Harper noted that his government has already introduced legislation that would mean greater penalties for violent crime, including mandatory minimum sentences.

He also said he has spoken with the RCMP's deputy commissioner for advice to help prevent unstable people from getting their hands on weapons.

But Graham, who spent much of his time on his feet during the debate on gun control, responded that all possible tools must be used to control firearms, including the gun registry law.

"The Prime Minister's right to bear arms constituency is blinding him to a very important tool that protects our kids from being shot," said Graham.

Renewed calls to withdraw troops

MPs also debated Canada's role in Afghanistan, with the New Democrats renewing calls to withdraw the troops. Canada has more than 2,000 soldiers in Afghanistan, mostly in Kandahar.

Thirty-six soldiers and one diplomat have been killed since Canada first sent troops to the troubled country in early 2002. The latest fatalities were reported Monday after a bicycle bomber killed four Canadian soldiers and injured several others while the troops were distributing candy to children.

NDP Leader Jack Layton told the Commons that the NATO mission in Afghanistan is a textbook case of how to screw up a counter-insurgency. He then questioned whether the mission can be won by military means.

Harper did not waver from his government's support for continuing the mission, saying Monday's suicide attack illustrates the "evil" Canada's troops are facing in that country and the "nobility" of the soldiers' work.

He said soldiers "need a Parliament of all parties that believes in what they're doing and sticks behind them in their actions."