The safety and security of Canadians is a top priority for the Canadian government. We know that one Canadian killed by gunfire is one Canadian too many, and that is why we banned more than 1,500 types of military-style assault firearms two years ago. We also strengthened our gun control laws to expand background checks and protect guns from the wrong hands. These measures help protect our children and our communities. Abolishing the long-gun registry was a long-standing election promise of the Conservative Party. [44] In early 2006, the Conservative Party became the largest party in the House of Commons, and the new government announced a one-year amnesty period (later extended by one year) during which long-gun owners with a previous licence or licence would not be punished for failing to register their long guns. The legal registration obligation has not been abolished; A law repealing the requirement to register long guns was introduced by the government in the 39th Parliament, but was not put to a vote. It was rejected by the opposition parties, which together held the majority of seats in the lower house. Similar legislation was reintroduced in the 40th Parliament in the form of Bill C-391 by a parliamentarian, but narrowly defeated on September 22, 2010. [45] In the 41st Parliament, the newly formed Conservative majority government reintroduced legislation to abolish the requirement to register non-restricted firearms and destroy the registry database. Bill C-19, known as the Ending the Long-gun Registry Act, passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate and received Royal Assent on April 5, 2012. [46] As a result of the 2012 legislative amendments, Canadians were no longer required to register non-restricted firearms. In addition, the existing public records maintained by the Canadian Firearms Registry regarding owners of non-restricted firearms would have been deleted.
[47] The requirement for all firearms owners to have a valid firearms licence remained the law. [48] Many popular magazines are designed to tour more than the law in Canada allows. These magazines must be permanently modified so that they do not contain more than the legally permitted number of cartridges. The acceptable means of modifying a journal are defined in the penal codes. [40] All licences and registrations are managed by the RCMP`s Canadian Firearms Program (CFP) under the deputy commissioner`s Police Services Support Services (SPS). There are three categories of firearms and firearms licences: non-restricted, restricted and prohibited. Prohibited firearms are not completely prohibited, as the name suggests, but their legal possession and acquisition depends on their registration history and a person`s firearms licence. [32] As of December 1, 1998, the prohibited clause must include acquired rights to acquire or possess prohibited firearms. See firearms classification below for more details on prohibited, restricted and non-restricted firearms. Asked about the proposed restrictions on magazines, Public Safety Canada spokesperson Magali Deussing said: « As part of its overall strategy to protect communities from gun violence, and in line with Minister Mendicino`s mandate letter, the government intends to introduce regulations that require a permanent change to high-capacity magazines so that they can never hold more than five cartridges. and prohibit the sale and distribution of magazines that may contain more than the legally permitted number of bullets.
The issue of the legality of self-defence with a firearm in Canada has been controversial. Although self-defence is legal, it is very limited (it has expanded due to the Supreme Court decision R v Khill). The Criminal Code recognizes self-defence with a firearm. The Firearms Act 1995 provides a legal framework within which a person may acquire, possess and carry a restricted firearm or (a certain class of) prohibited firearms to protect himself or herself from others if police protection is deemed insufficient. [56] This situation is extremely rare: the RCMP`s authorization to proceed with the application relates only to the protection of life during employment, the handling of valuable property or dangerous wildlife. [57] As of January 1, 2001, all firearms in Canada had to be registered with the Canadian Firearms Registry. Unlike other restricted firearms, to legally possess a fully automatic firearm in Canada, the long gun must not only have an up-to-date registration, but also have been registered before 1978. [43] The maximum permissible capacity of a magazine depends on the type of firearm for which it is designed or manufactured, not on the type of firearm it could actually use. Therefore, the maximum permissible capacity remains the same regardless of the firearm in which it could be used. Example: The Marlin Camp rifle for .45 ACP uses magazines designed and manufactured for the M1911 pistol, so seven- and eight-shot abilities are allowed. A similar example is the 10-shot magazine for Rock River Arms` LaR-15 pistol, regardless of the type of firearm in which it is actually used. [41] A category that includes several different classes of firearms developed before 1898, although not all firearms built before that deadline are eligible for an older classification.
Weapons that are considered antiques are not legally considered firearms and can be purchased and possessed without PAL. [69] The following types of firearms are classified as antique firearms if they were designed and manufactured before 1898: By law, a potential customer must be at least 18 years of age to purchase a firearm or legally remain in possession of a firearm. People under the age of 18 but over the age of 12 can purchase a minor`s licence, which does not allow them to buy a firearm, but allows them to borrow a firearm unattended and purchase ammunition. Children under the age of 12 who need a firearm to hunt or catch can also obtain the minor`s driver`s license. This is usually reserved for children in remote locations, mainly indigenous communities engaged in subsistence hunting. [42] After the 2020 Nova Scotia attacks, Justin Trudeau`s minority Liberal government announced a national ban on « military weapons » and « all assault rifles. » Neither of these two classifications previously existed under Canadian law, but the policy has effectively moved about 1500 types of firearms from the restricted and unrestricted categories to the prohibited column next to automatic long guns. [51] Although a buy-back program for this type of weapon is being developed, it should not be mandatory at this time. [52] I also bought a Mossberg 500 shotgun with a 5-shot mag+1 tube in the room (6 in total). If I fully charge this up to 6, is it legal? If I buy a bigger tube magazine to get 8+1, is it legal? I generally understood that shotguns were not limited to all sizes of magazines. « This bill is another example of how the federal government has missed the boat by creating new gun laws, » said Brian McRae, Senior Advisor to the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH), Community relations and partners.
« More laws targeting legal gun owners do absolutely nothing to address the fundamental problems surrounding crime and the real problems that lead to gun violence in Canada. This bill will have no impact on crime in Canada. The wrong people are trapped once again. On May 1, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced after a mass murder in Nova Scotia that the Canadian government would immediately ban approximately 1,500 models of « military assault weapons, » primarily rifles, through a Council order under the Criminal Code. [6] [7] In May 2022, Trudeau announced new legislation that would ban the possession of « military-style assault weapons » as part of a mandatory buyback program and prohibit the sale, purchase, import or transfer of handguns. [8] The law would also limit the capacity of magazines and ban toys – such as airsoft guns – that look like weapons. [9] The following examples will help explain the maximum permissible capacity of cartridge magazines designed or manufactured for use in more than one type of firearm. This was accompanied by a signal from Public Safety Canada that « the permanent modification of long-gun magazines so that they can never hold more than five rounds of ammunition and prohibit the sale and transfer of magazines that may contain more than the legal number of bullets » is imminent. Canada had already expanded background checks prior to this comprehensive ban. Trudeau has long intended to pass stricter gun laws, but the introduction of the new measure comes after mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, this month.
« This bill is a very strong signal from the government that additional regulations will come, and probably sooner rather than later, » McRae said. « The government has expressed its intention to take measures that will have a major impact on long guns, with the obligation to permanently change all long-gun mags so that they can never again hold more than five rounds of ammunition.