Government wants kids to get hunting

[DeadPoolX 9]

um...yes, Canada does in fact allow personal fire arm possession and ownership. You just can't buy 'em at Wal Mart like you can here in the US.

Per - capita, Canadians own just as many guns as Americans do. They just tend to use them differently and have different views toward them.

My Uncle has quite a large collection, as does my ex. Both hunting rifles and hand guns. Some are legal, others are not. Handguns are regulated by size basically. Smaller weapons, like a Lady Smith, which are easily concealed are illegal. Handguns with a barrel over 9 inches long (IIRC) are illegal, except for with special permit, usally to law enforcement. However, "regular size" handguns are perfectly legal to own, with a permit. Hunting rifles are perfectly legal to own. However, unlike in the US, semi-automatic and automatic assault rifles are not. Except by special permit for law enforcement.

My Mother is quite a good shot with a rifle she's told me. My Grandfather was a cop, and used to take her to the shooting range when she was a girl.

My ex, as mentioned, has/had quite a collection. A few antique collectibles, as well as some really nice shiny handguns for competition shooting. And all of them he owns legally, and they're all registered and he's certified to own weapons. Unless he's lost his certification because of illegal activity, which with him is very likely. He's a coke-head.

He'd be jealous of the collection I've amassed since I got to the US though

So wait a second there...

You're telling me that in Canada, you can purchase and own a firearm and have the same right to use it for self-defense just like you would in the United States? If that's true, then the information getting to the U.S. about Canadian gun laws is very skewed. What we tend to hear is that Canada (like a great deal of other countries) don't allow citizens to own firearms for any other purpose but hunting.

Once again, if that's incorrect -- and you can own and use firearms there like you can in the U.S. -- then that little fact should be publicized more often. I bet many Americans would think more highly of Canada. I realize Canadians probably aren't up nights, worrying about how the average American feels about Canada, but maybe it'd result in fewer Canadian jokes? I don't know, for sure, but it's possible.

[Caladan 19]

Just my opinion, but I think the biggest difference isn't so much in gun ownership vs. not gun ownership as it is one's attitude towards gun ownership. C. and I were discussing it once and he started laughing and pointed out that while I saw gun ownership as a right, he didn't. Even though he grew up around more guns that your average American.

And this affects all American discussions about gun ownership. Even if you think that gun ownership can and should be regulated, you'll discuss it in terms of rights and the second Amendment and what counts as infringing on those rights. Canadians just don't talk about guns in terms of rights, and it really changes the terms of the debate even if the basic idea is the same.

[Reba 2]

So wait a second there...

You're telling me that in Canada, you can purchase and own a firearm and have the same right to use it for self-defense just like you would in the United States? If that's true, then the information getting to the U.S. about Canadian gun laws is very skewed. What we tend to hear is that Canada (like a great deal of other countries) don't allow citizens to own firearms for any other purpose but hunting.

Once again, if that's incorrect -- and you can own and use firearms there like you can in the U.S. -- then that little fact should be publicized more often. I bet many Americans would think more highly of Canada. I realize Canadians probably aren't up nights, worrying about how the average American feels about Canada, but maybe it'd result in fewer Canadian jokes? I don't know, for sure, but it's possible.

Yes, that's what I'm saying. Gun ownership in Canada is legal, and quite a lot of Canadians own guns. Lots of 'em in fact! I can't help the fact that the US media and government spin it so that Canada looks like some socialist, free healthcare, pot smokin, Gay loving, gun banning country. Most of it's bullshit.

But, as Caladan mentioned, we don't have The Second Amendment giving Canadians the right to bear arms (the joke is of course, its too cold in Canada for bare arms ). Just like a lot of everything else, the culture is different because of the differences in the ways our countries were founded. The US was founded and won its independence in a war. Canada had a party and everyone sat around drinking and having fun. Yes, there have Always been guns in Canada, and Yes, it has always been legal for Canadian citizens to own firearms, with permits. Its there if they want it, and if they can pass a psych test

Here's a blog from Gun Control Canada who are proponents for gun ownership.

Gun Control Canada [.org,.com,.ca] is an affiliation of Canadians no longer willing to let the "social re-engineers" of Canada's Anti-Gun Lobby be the only voice and source of information for Canadians in understanding the true role and history of firearms ownership in Canada. We stand for defending the right of Canadian civilian ownership of their own personal property.

An article from 2001 entitled How Many Guns Are There in Canada?

And information compiled at About.com about the Canadian Gun Registry.

I will point out that it is not necessarily easy to legally own a gun in Canada. One has to apply for a permit, and quite literally fill out a form several pages long with all kinds of questions about one's character, medical and psychological history. Government adminstration of this of course is costing them millions. Here is the Canadian Department of Justice page with an overview of the actual law.

And, in most cities and pronvinces, the law states that one is legally permitted to defend one's property and family with due force. Meaning of course, if someone breaks into your home and they are armed, and if you own a gun, you can shoot them if they are threatening you with their gun. If someone breaks into your home and is not armed and you shoot them, then you will be charged with using un-due force and likely spend some time in jail. I believe the self defence laws in the US and other countries are similar.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I can't buy guns at my local Wal Mart, nor do I (or any of my friends/colleagues) live in a "gated subdivision".