Didn’t the gunmen who perpetrated this crime know it was illegal to own and use those guns in Canada? What’s the world coming to when criminals don’t obey strict gun laws? Wouldn’t it have been crazy if an armed Canadian citizen had been there and shot the criminal? That’s crazy talk. Canada will just pass some stricter anti-terrorism laws and the government will protect you. Eh?
Ottawa parliament shooting: What are Canada’s gun laws?
A soldier was shot near Canada’s parliament building in Ottawa on Wednesday in an ongoing incident possibly involving multiple shooters. Canada has far tighter restrictions than the US on owning a firearm.
An unidentified gunman has injured a soldier in Ottawa, Ontario, before running into Parliament Hall where more shots were fired.
The Canadian Broadcast Corporation reports that one of the shooters was a man with dark hair and armed with a long gun. According to witnesses, he fired four shots injuring a soldier standing guard at the Canadian War Memorial before running into the Parliament building. Televised reports say that dozens of shots were fired inside the building, though it is unclear who was firing or how many gunmen there were.
The soldier was taken to a nearby hospital. The shooter’s whereabouts and status is unclear. There are also unconfirmed reports that additional gunmen were involved.
The parliament buildings are currently on lockdown. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other top government officials are reportedly safe.
But for those in the US, where the debate over guns continues to rage, the incident raises the question: Just what are Canada‘s gun laws?
Though Canada does not offer constitutional protections for gun ownership the way the 2nd Amendment does in the US, gun laws have been just as controversial. In 1989, a gunman went on a rampage in Montreal, killing 14 women with a rifle. This event prompted the Liberal government to tighten gun controls in an effort to prevent its repeat.
Unlike the US, where Washington sets some gun laws and others are set by the individual states, Canada’s gun laws are predominantly the domain of the federal government in Ottawa.
Under Canadian law, there are three categories of firearms: prohibited, restricted, and non-restricted. Prohibited firearms include short-barreled handguns, sawed-off shotguns and rifles, and automatic weapons. Restricted firearms include all handguns that do not fall under the “prohibited” class, as well as semi-automatic weapons with barrels shorter than 47 cm (18.5 inches). In addition, specific guns can be designated by regulation as prohibited or restricted. Large-capacity magazines are generally prohibited, regardless of the class of firearm they are used in.
Note that despite the use of the term “prohibited,” prohibited firearms are not illegal. Rather they are governed under a stricter set of regulations. Non-restricted firearms are any rifles and shotguns that do not fall under either of the other categories.
To own any firearms in Canada, residents must have a gun license from the federal government. Licenses last for five years, and generally require passing a government gun safety course. For a resident to possess restricted and prohibited firearms, he or she must pass an additional safety course, and the specific weapons owned must be registered with the government.
Canada used to require all long arms to be registered with the government regardless of their category, but that provision was controversially repealed by Prime Minister Harper’s government in 2012.
Canadian police do routinely carry firearms, and are exempt from Canadian gun laws in regards to weapons they use on the job.
[Editor’s note: This story reuses material from a June 5, 2014 article on Canadian gun laws.]
A better question: Would a gunman attack a facility where the people inside are heavily armed?
No.
That is why you never see shooters at gun shows, for example.
If you want mass shootings, just make that area a gun-free zone and post signage to that effect.
Duh.
Yes, J C Collins has started to address this issue in Canada here:
http://philosophyofmetrics.com/2014/10/22/canadian-parliament-csi-attack/
Also, interesting to note that New Zealand’s terrorist threat level went from very low to low (I kid you not) by the govt last week. The whole thing was roundly mocked on national TV (good for NZ as it shows the healthy disrespect Kiwi’s have for their govt). Parliament and other buildings are minimally guarded (as it should be as they are the people’s property). People pic nic and sun bath a few feet from the entrance to the beehive (parliament building) for example on the grounds. Unfortunately, the slight increase in threat level could be a set-up for something like this happening in NZ as well.
NZ gun laws are reasonable. Any mentally sounds resident or citizen can get a gun license, the individual guns then purchased are not specifically tracked. Some classes of guns (similar to Canada) are further restricted and require an additional license addendum. Lots of people target shoot and hunt, there must literally be at least 10 target ranges within a 7 miles of where I live, probably more, I have not tried to find them all!
Cheers,
Didius
Admin, it is not illegal to own and use guns in Canada. Attend and pass a couple safety classes, pass a one time RCMP background check, and you may purchase as many restricted (pistols with barrels longer than 470 mm and some long guns) and non-restricted firearms (most long guns) you would like, without further background checks or waiting periods.
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/index-eng.htm
The long gun registry Canada put in place after the Ecole Polytechnique massacre was repealed a couple years ago when they found after spending 2 billion dollars on the registry, there was no effect on gun crime. It seems criminals don’t register their firearms, and crimes involving firearms are rarely committed with a long gun.
Somebody’s going to do something stupid with a jug of maple syrup, then all hell is going to break lose. They’ll ban maple syrup….all of it, once they can’t put syrup on their food, its all they’re going to want to do.
Where’s Stucky ? Tell all those Meatheads to go play with themselves (sexually) Damn mean ,hateful critters. See what you people did .Picking on poor stucky . You people ought to be a shame of yourselves . Now all of you tell him you’re sorry.
Stucky , I’m going on a hunger strike until you come back.That will show these people whoses boss.
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The guy wanted to go over and join ISIS, but they were holding up his passport. This is why he got frustrated. They weren’t allowing him to leave the country. I say let the sucker go, but just tell him he isn’t coming back…EVER!