The official says there were delays and confusion over the exchange of firearms-related information when Lionel Desmond had run-ins with the law.

The bill also forces gun retailers to keep records of firearms inventory and sales and requires the purchaser of a hunting rifle or shotgun to present a firearms licence, while the seller will have to ensure its validity.

Bill Blair is acknowledging that the latest rash of shootings - most recently in Toronto - has touched off a sense of urgency among the public for the government to do more to keep deadly firearms out of the wrong hands.