I live in a surprisingly crime free part of darkest Scarborough
Seriously, per-capita gun ownership in Canada has always been fairly similar to the US numbers, but it wasn't real noticeable because we tended to have smaller cities, less crowding, less poverty and less racial tension. Toronto is starting to catch up with the US cities in that regard, unfortunately.
Owning handguns in Canada just takes a lot of paperwork. Predictably lawyers, engineers and IT folks are the only ones willing to put up with the paperwork so attending a pistol match around here is like going to Comdex.
"Carry" means something totally different here, though.
US - stick the .45 down the back of your pants. Carefully.
Canada - disable the firearm by locking the trigger, obstructing the chamber with a locking device, disassembling the firearm or removing the firing pin. Place the unloaded firearm in an opaque container and secure with a second lock. Store the ammunition in a separate locked container. Party.
There are two ways to get a handgun in Canada. Let's call them options 1 and 2.
OPTION 1
Attend a two day safety course. Don't make stupid comments in the classroom. Return a week or two later for written and hands-on safety tests.
Take the test results and apply for a Restricted Firearm Permission and Aquisition License (PAL). Fill out the 7 page form including your partner/spouse's name plus anyone else you have been involved with in the last two years, along with a statement from each of them that he/she is aware that you wish to obtain firearms. Send the application in along with $80. Wait while the firearms center checks with :
- the local police
- the RCMP
- the Chief Firearms Officer in your province
- your spouse
- your neighbors
- anyone else they feel like speaking with
Some time later, a permit shows up in the mail. Congratulations... this means nothing except now the police have the right to inspect your house any time they like to ensure that your firearms are being stored in accordance with the law, including unpublished "Orders in Council" (bypassing Parliament) which may make firearms you already own illegal without notice.
Oh, so you want to actually BUY a gun. Sorry, drifted off there. Next step is to join a club. Pay some money, provide references, get interviewed by the entire board of directors. If anyone on the board doesn't like you, too bad, buh-bye. Sign up for 10-12 probationary shoots, generally supervised by a cranky old ex-military instructor who will do his best to get you angry. Smile. Be careful.
10 shoots later, no bad vibes. Pay some more money, one more interview, and welcome to the club. Fill out some more forms, including something called an "ATT application".
Now you can go out and buy a gun. Go to the gun shop, pick one out, pay $1000. Not so fast there sonny, you might OWN that gun but you can't take it home without more paperwork.
Based on your membership in the club, the Chief Firearms Officer in whatever province you live will (after a few days to check with police, RCMP, spouse, neighbors) issue an Authorization to Transport document indicating that you may transport that specific firearm from the store to your place of residence, between specific hours on specific days, by a "reasonably direct route". Go to the store. Buy a gun case because you left yours at home. Now you own a gun but you can't take it out of your house.
A few weeks later, a more general Authorization to Transport document arrives in the mail. This is the one you applied for after completing your probationary shoots. It authorizes you to transfer the firearm from your home to the range, on specified days and times, for the purpose of target shooting, via a reasonably direct route, following all applicable safety and storage laws. If you filled out the application correctly, it also authorizes you to bring said firearm home again.
Woo hoo, now you're a gun owner. You can take the gun exactly one place, as specified in the ATT. If you want to take the gun somewhere else, you call up the Provincial Firearms Officer and apply for a temporary Authorization to Transport. If you want to stop at your friend's place for dinner on the way home from the range, you call up the Provincial Firearms Officer and apply for a temporary Authorization to Transport. You must have a hard copy of the temporary ATT, your "permanent" ATT, and your registration certificate with the firearm at all times. You get the idea. There aren't a lot of crazies running around with legally owned handguns (we get perhaps one every 25-30 years in the whole country) -- nobody can handle the paperwork.
OPTION B
Go to any school and ask a few questions. Bring $500 in the evening. Take your gun home. Take it anywhere. Party.
