There was a time when mass shootings did not seem to happen in Canada. However, recent data tells a different story. ‘Year of the Gun’, a documentary broadcast this past March on CBC Docs POV, drew our attention to the alarming rise of gun violence in Toronto. There were 428 shooting incidents in Toronto in 2018, nearly two and half times the number of incidents in 2014. The following data is even more shocking:
- Canada ranks fifth among 23 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in terms of firearms mortality.
- Gun-related crime in Canada has increased by 42 percent since 2013.
- The number of victims of a crime involving a firearm in 2017 in Canada was 7,700.
Since gun crime in Canada is on the rise, with 17 people shot over a three-day span in Toronto this past August, it has sparked a gun control debate across the country. Canada has no clear classification for assault rifles, thus making it legal to buy military-style weapons, like the AR-15.
Why Guns Like the AR-15?
The debate to ban military-style weapons, highlighting the AR-15, is unsurprising as this gun has been controversial since its introduction into the Canadian market in the 1970s. It is the civilian version of the standard military weapon that was used during the Vietnam War by American troops. Many people were concerned that criminals might show interest in the high-powered AR-15. As a result, the federal government declared it a restricted weapon in 1977, thus making it difficult to buy.
Gun groups opposed this decision and complained, leading Prime Minister Joe Clark’s government to reclassify it as a non-restricted firearm. But the Liberal government under Jean Chrétien again restricted it.
The AR-15 has been used by shooters in some of the most infamous mass shootings in the US such as Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland and at an outdoor music festival in Las Vegas. As far as Canada is concerned, this gun has been seized in several drug raids in British Columbia. In fact, the Montreal massacre shooter also used a military-style semi-automatic rifle.
What Does the Government Say?
The Liberal government is planning to bring in tougher gun control policies if re-elected October 21. During a recent Justin Trudeau campaign stop outside Toronto, he said, “Far too many communities and families are facing terrible tragedies because of gun violence and it is really important that a government show leadership on that.”
According to an interview with The Fifth Estate, Bill Blair, the Liberal Party’s point man on gun control, suggested that a re-elected government will ban some types of ‘assault-style’ rifles. They would also introduce additional restrictions on where firearms can be possessed or stored.
Who Is Opposing This Proposal?
Not everyone has welcomed this proposal. In that regard, the response from gun groups has been vitriolic. The National Firearms Association says that the government’s gun proposals are an attack on the rights, freedoms and property of Canadians.
Conservative Party spokesperson Simon Jefferies has said party leader Andrew Scheer would always defend responsible, law abiding firearm owners. The opposition is of the opinion that instead of banning guns, the government should take a thoughtful, serious approach to the issue and pursue measures to reduce crime.
According to a Globe and Mail report, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police head Adam Palmer believes that banning shotguns to stop them from entering Canada is naïve. As most guns used in violent crimes are obtained illegally, it doesn’t make sense to ban something that is already prohibited.
What Are the Existing Laws Related to Gun Ownership?
Canada has three classes of firearms: non-restricted, restricted and prohibited. Non-restricted weapons are standard rifles and shotguns (the ones used for hunting). Restricted firearms are legal to possess provided you complete a safety course and obtain a valid license under the Firearms Act. It includes handguns that are not prohibited, weapons with a barrel length shorter than 470 mm and weapons that can discharge ammunition in a semi-automatic manner. Prohibited firearms are illegal to own and use unless the firearm was owned prior to it becoming prohibited. It includes all fully automatic firearms, rifles and shotguns adapted into handguns, firearms converted to automatic and semi-automatic, handguns that are shorter than 105 mm in length or handguns designed to discharge a .25 or .32 calibre cartridge.
To buy or possess a gun, you need to have a licence which can be obtained after completing the Canadian Firearms Safety Course. There is a separate course for restricted weapons. Once you have passed the course, you can apply for a licence which needs to be renewed every five years by submitting an application and completing a background check.
| QUICK FACT |
| According to a public opinion study from Angus Reid, 61% of respondents said they would support an outright ban on civilian possession of handguns; 75% favour a ban on assault weapons. |
What Does the New Policy Propose?
The government has proposed a set of new gun control measures to ban military-style assault rifles if the Liberal Party is re-elected. The measures include:
- Banning all military-style assault rifles, including the AR-15, as these weapons are specifically designed to inflict mass human casualties and have no place in Canadian society
- ·Initiating a buyback program for all assault rifles legally purchased by offering fair market prices to gun owners
- Working with the provinces and territories to give municipalities the ability to further restrict or ban handguns
- Protecting the rights of law-abiding hunters and pledge not to bring back the long-gun registry
- Making it compulsory for everyone importing ammunition to show proof of a valid firearms license
To read the proposal in detail, click here.
The Bottom Line
Mass shootings or crimes committed with assault-style firearms are not nearly as common in Canada as they are in the U.S., but they have happened. And the recent incidence of people shot in Toronto over the Civic Holiday long weekend has raised the question of how effective Canada’s gun licensing system is. Misuse of licensed weapons is a major concern and an election issue. But what’s the solution?
We can’t ignore the fact that most automatic rifles used in criminal offences are often illegally owned or brought into Canada. Plus, the problem of people buying guns legally then reselling them illegally (also known as straw purchasing) is a setback for gun control laws in Canada.
Curbing gun violence and implementing stricter rules for purchasing and possessing weapons is a tall order. The government has to invest in proactive solutions by educating communities, especially young people at risk of getting involved in criminal activities. Also, tougher background checks and examinations are required to further strengthen laws related to weapons in Canada.