Changes to the Law
Historically, Canada has had relatively strict controls on handguns. Since the 1930’s handguns were restricted weapons. Changes in the 1977 Criminal Law Amendment Act distinguished between “unrestricted weapons” (rifles and shotguns); restricted weapons (primarily handguns; short-barreled semi-automatics, and grand-fathered prohibited weapons) and prohibited weapons (fully automatic firearms and sawed off shotguns). Restricted weapons permits could be issued to individuals if they were required for “lawful occupation”, ...download pdf

Licensing and Registration
The law assists police in taking preventive measures such as removing guns from domestic violence situations. The licensing system reduces the chances that those who are a threat to themselves or others will get access to firearms. The fully integrated databases ensure that when an incident occurs involving a licensed gun owner, authorities are alerted and may take action to remove the firearms and/or revoke the licence. ...download pdf

Constitutional Challenge
Police, victims of gun violence, health care, domestic violence support the law and fought for it all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. In June 2000, the Supreme Court ruled the law was fully constitutional. The Province of Alberta, along with several other provinces and gun organizations, challenged the constitutionality of the law in the Alberta Court of Appeal arguing that while it was legitimate for the federal government to license handgun owners and registerhandguns, it was a violation of provincial jurisdiction to extend these provisions to long guns(rifles and shotguns). In October 1998, the Alberta Court of Appeal ruled 3-2 in favour of the
federal government’s position ...download pdf

To read the Supreme Court decision ...click here

Implementation Issues
Laws are only words on paper unless they are backed up with strong implementation. In addressing gun violence an integrated strategy is critical. It must address primary prevention but also ensure that the laws are applied and backed up by the courts. ...download pdf

Gun Owner Accountability
Too often guns from Canadian gun owners end up in the wrong hands. While there are currently safe storage requirements defined by law, many gun owners do not store their guns in accordance with the law. Constable Stronquill, an RCMP officer shot and killed in Manitoba was killed with a rifle stolen from a car in Alberta. A stolen gun was involved in the Boxing Day shooting in Toronto which killed 15 year old Jane Creba and injured... ...download pdf

Military Assault Weapons
One of the essential elements in the Coalition for Gun Control position- supported by more than 350 organizations across the country, as well as by the population- is a ban on military assault weapons. The majority of the approximately 7 million firearms currently owned in Canada is not military weapons but hunting rifles and shotguns -currently classified as non-restricted firearms. Many unrestricted firearms are also semi-automatic. Although many Canadians would support a ban on all semi automatics, the Coalition for Gun Control’s position is not to prohibit semi-automatics designed for hunting. However, the Coalition for Gun Control does insist that all gun owners have renewable licenses and all guns be registered... ...download pdf