Key Takeaways:
- The new measure was introduced less than a week after a gunman opened fire in a school in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 students and two teachers.
- The number of registered guns in Canada increased by 71 percent between 2010 and 2020, reaching about 1.1 million, according to the federal government.
- According to a poll performed by Leger’s polling organisation in March 2021, 66% of respondents feel Canada should have stricter gun legislation.
On Monday, Canada’s government announced legislation to put a countrywide moratorium on the buying and selling of handguns as part of a broader gun control package containing limitations on magazine capacity and a ban on some toy guns.
The new legislation comes only a week after a gunman opened fire in a school in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 children and two instructors.
Here are some significant facts about Canada’s gun laws:
ARE GUNS PROHIBITED IN CANADA?
No. Although Canada’s gun rules are far tougher than those in the United States, Canadians can own firearms as long as they obtain a license. Pistols that are restricted or forbidden, such as handguns, must also be registered.
To obtain a license, Canadians must be over 18 and complete a firearms safety course, which must be renewed every 5 years.
Children aged 12 to 17 can obtain a minor’s license, which allows them to borrow and purchase non-restricted firearms such as most rifles and shotguns for hunting or shooting competitions.
Also read: Due of an ongoing shortage, prices are high and options are restricted
Exceptions might be made for kids under 12, such as indigenous youngsters who rely on hunting to support themselves and their families.
If a gun safety course is either far away or too expensive, indigenous people who engage in traditional hunting traditions may not need to take it. Instead, they might request alternative certification depending on a community elder’s recommendation to have the appropriate weapons knowledge.
After a mass shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia, Canada outlawed around 1,500 assault weapon models, including the AR-15 rifle, two years ago.
IN CANADA, HOW Much GUNS ARE THERE?
According to the federal govt, the count of registered guns in Canada climbed by 71% between 2010 and 2020, reaching roughly 1.1 million.
According to the 2017 Small Arms Survey, there are 12.7 million weapons in civilian hands in Canada, with 34.7 firearms per 100 persons.
WHERE IS THE CENTER OF GUN OWNERSHIP?
More than 2.2 million people will have firearms licenses in 2020, as per the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The majority of them were in Quebec as well as Ontario, the two most heavily populated provinces, followed by Alberta and British Columbia in the west.
According to an Angus Reid poll conducted in 2019, most weapons in Canada are found in rural areas and are used for hunting and recreational shooting.
IN CANADA, HOW MANY PEOPLE DIE AS A RESULT OF GUN VIOLENCE?
The rate of firearm killings in Canada is 0.5 per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 4.12 in the United States, according to a 2021 study by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).
IS THERE AN OPPOSITION TO GUN RESTRICTIONS?
As per a March 2021 study conducted by Leger’s polling firm, 66% of respondents believe Canada should have tougher gun laws.
Gun-rights supporters oppose the latest regulations. The new legislation has been dubbed a “huge sucker punch” by the Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights.
Teri Bryant, Alberta’s chief weapons officer, called the government’s proposed handgun sales to freeze an “enormous intrusion” into property rights as well as private life and called it “virtue signaling.”
Instead, she advocated for the appointment of more firearms officers to ensure more timely and thorough vetting.
Source: CTV News
