Speaking of the great white gun totin'north....

for all you gun hoarding yankees...ohps... and non yankees.... late last night, after a miserable 17 year UN experiment, Canadian citizens who own 'long arms' are no longer treated as suspects and potential evil do-ers. Canada still has most high capacity rifles classed as 'prohibited' which will hopefully end next, but the nature of the society didn't have much to ever do with handguns, restricted since the 1930's, so that would be a debate for the future if ever.
But for now, for those worried about the UN and global gun control, hey, if the UN's babysitter- the Government of Canada- can get all 4 hostile political parties to retract this gun control measure, there is a reason to sleep well tonight, things do turn around....
If this was talers, I would have to appoligized for sounding too possitive in a negative world....

My old WW2 Lee Enfield .303 British is legal again.

I am in full support of this legislation as a hunter/farmer. Under the current system we have three types of firearms classifications. Non-restricted, restricted, and prohibited. Non-restricted is long firearms like rifles, shotguns, etc. Restricted are handguns and long arms with short barrels. Prohibited includes fully automatic weapons and a few high calibre weapons that really have no use civilian use anyway, as well as the odd handgun.

The new legislation removes the need for owners of non-restricted firearms (long guns) to register their firearms with the government. However, a Possesion and Acquisition License or Firearms Acquisition Certificate are still required to purchase these firearms. Owners of restricted firearms must still register their weapons, and of course prohibited weapons are just illegal all around.

For the record, not all political parties agreed to this legislation. Only 1 party did, plus 2 members of parliament from an opposing party. BUT the Conservatives have a majority in the House of Commons, and because of that they were able to push the bill through. The bill is not yet law, as it needs to pass through the Senate, which is Canada's higher house of parliament. It is expected to go through though as the Conservatives have a majority there as well.

Careful on what guns are "good" or "reasonable".
That tactic has been used to divide and conquer the
hunters, target shooters and collectors before.
Several times actually.

Officially adopted by the British Army in 1895-1957.I had one with 1914 stamped on it, sold to a collector, not much use in the city..

Don't forget what has happened in countries like England and Australia who first had gun registeration. In a few short years the registeration list was used to confiscate and destroy those same guns. Any government must be kept in check as it like a cancer, always growing its power destroying its citizens rights in the name of the good of the people. Joe

Like mentioned, only one party and two members from another voted for this. Being the majority, it passed through the Hosue of Commons, but is not yet law. Stephen Harper(PM) has been after this for a while. Not sure why, just call it part of his personal agenda. It"s a good thing though. The whole long gun registry is a waste of $ (as are most things connected to the government) that does no one any good, main problem being, criminals don"t register their guns.

Politics is the same anywhere. Anytime they get the slightest thing done- it is amazing! We get Canadain and British 'Prime Minister's question time' on C-span..... wholy cow. I am shocked some Canadian MP's got elected dog catcher! Talk about mellodramatic- a couple weeks ago, cripes, the 'opposition' would have you think Harper wanted to starve to death every Canadian over the age of 50 - Hey even if it is only 51% backing it, showing the world that a mature country of- 145? can think for itself, police itself and make its own domestic policy.

This was an unfunded UN mandate, constantly beat back in the states- with a few close calls. Earlier governments just played along with to be ? different than the states? polite? Agreeable? Appear progressive? The UN was formed so developed countries would tell the 3rd world what to do to protect their people, not the 3rd world tell developed countries how to control their people. I am rather proud of/for Canada for this vote, even if 49% would say 'humbug'.... personally, I will celebrate with a second Carling black label tonight...

Most nations have a heavy firearm ownership restriction. I think that the US and Switzerland have the most gun friendly laws.
England has an outright gun ban I think, most of Europe is heavily restricted, All Communist nations are downright prohibited, South American nations? Central American nations? Mexico I think it is illegal to own a gun.
Switzerland is quite a nice setup.....ALL men have to serve in the "guard" if you can call it that. Then they take their Sig 551 home with them to keep. They are great marksmen with one of the best rifles made in the world.
The Switzerland pro gun group is called "Pro-Tell" Kinda line the NRA for the USA.

It has nothing to do with the UN.

This had nothing to do with 'all four' political parties. It had to do with one party and the majority they hold in both houses. Ridding this country of the 'long gun' registry is a promise the conservatives have made since the days of the Reform party... and if they did not honor it this time they are unlikely to ever be elected again...
With that said, there is absolutely NO reason to think that the rules will ever be relaxed on assult rifles or anything else. This was strictly about hunting rifles and shot guns. There is also no reason to think that they will ever retract laws on gun owners... ie the requirement for the owner to have an aquisition permit.
The only reason this much got done is because the government realizes it would be political suicide for them to not follow up now that they are in a majority position...

Rod

Yes, the Swiss Army members take their guns home with them. And the ammo is in sealed container. The cans are audited, and if any prove to have a broken seal, there is some explaining to do!

Well Ron, I guess the point I was -thinking? like? the PQ didn't slash their wrists on the steps of parliment... whaling of the 'threat to the safety of the nation????' I seem to be old enough to rememeber the PQ looking like the PLO, bandanas across the face, holding the stens and carbines they were using for 'Quebec libre et seperacion' this is quite a change of heart- or hypocracy? Where are all those stens and C1A1's stashed? Surrendered to Ottawa? Fat chance eh?

And Ken, thanks for straightening this out, I guess I ...and millions of other gun rights advocates around the world (think Bendee in OZ)... are all reading off the wrong page. And an old friend who was assigned to the UN in New York in the 90's was steering me all wrong. Why would he do that to me????

'Prohibited' arms can still be owned, but can not leave the property unless to be transfered or sold. A friend from Nova Scoctia had all his transfered- to his house in Massachucetts. He never wants to even visit the maritimes again. Too bad, he has alot of family history there.

And yes Harper is catering to the people who elected him. This is sorta what he is suppose to do, which must mean a majority of Canadians wanted this, or the time would have been used for other issues, like I said, I am happy for the like minded people across Canada who share my beliefs- or the 51% who know what side their bread is buttered on?

I don't think you understand the politics behind why gun control was adopted here or why it will be abolished...
It was adopted as a knee jerk response to a psycopath who murdered a several women at Ecole Polytecnic in Montreal... in I believe December 1989. It was driven by the Liberals from the very beginning.
It's opposition was a cornerstone of Preston Manning's Reform movement that began in Alberta and it carried throughout the days of the Reform Party, the Canadian Alliance Party and the merger with the PC party. It had never been a particularly large issue in the PC party caucus or to any great extent in the east... It's just one of those planks that's remained after the merger of the Alliance and the PC party... and with any luck the records will be destroyed in the coming months.

Rod

Ironic thing is, the gun that was used in that shooting was registered, as Quebec already had a form of firearms registration in place. The reason for getting rid of the current firearms registration is for the simple fact that something like 98% of firearms used in crimes in Canada are not registered. And I highly doubt just because their weapon is registered is going to stop those other 2%.

To Tony in Mass., you are confusing RESTRICTED and PROHIBITED. Restricted guns (handguns and certain long guns) are still allowed with the proper licenses, but cannot leave the property without a transportation permit or if they are sold. Prohibited guns are not allowed under any circumstances WHATSOEVER. You can't buy em, you can't own em, you can't sell em. Prohibited include fully automatics and certain weapons that have no use in civilian life. This ban on prohibited weapons pre-dates the current firearms registration. There is a grandfather clause but since the legislation on these firearms was brought into effect in the 1930s I believe, there would be no one left with a prohibited weapon (when the owner passed away the weapon had to be destroyed).

And as others have said, firearms laws in Canada have absolutely nothing to do with the UN.

Ron we could go on forever, I am glad you seem pleased with the results too, but I am not that distant from Canadian politics, my grandfather's cousin was Pierre Trudeau's mother. They are all buried on the same lane in St Remi.
And I was always interested in gun control issues of both countries-around the world I suppose- oh, and Marc LaPin wasn't his birth name was it? It was something like Garmile Garubi? or something like that, he was Algerian? Lebanese? I forgot. Alot going on back then- hey if 100% of Canada believes it was a domestic issue, so be it. England, Australia second, a try in Isreal and New Zealand- the' UN small arms reduction policy' almost became a revolution in the states, George Bush's 'assault weapons ban of 1989' was the camel's nose down here.The same non UN wolf in sheep's clothing recently failed the popular vote in Brazil of all places! It is once again coming on the US radar, so maybe another parting of friends and relatives is in the cards. That is why it is so-awesome! so important that Canada backed out ... of whatever it is....

I will do some research on that farmer, I am aware of the 'distroy at death' prohibited firearms routine, but tons of them show up in the American market for years now. If death was the case, nothing less than 80? years old? would exist.... but they dooooooo!
I believe the RCMP still has the rules and regs on their website. That will be my homework assignment.

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-fd/rp-eng.htm

Here is a definition of restricted and prohibited firearms, from the RCMP website. The link also includes a complete list of all firearms that are prohibited, and exemptions to prohibited status. Notice the definition of prohibited includes "any firearm prescribed as prohibited", basically if the RCMP feels that a firearm should be prohibited they can add it to the list. Even if it doesn't fall within the other criteria.

Definition of a Prohibited Firearm

The Criminal Code states that a prohibited firearm is:

a handgun with a barrel length of 105 mm or less;
a handgun designed or adapted to discharge 25 or 32 calibre ammunition;
a rifle or shotgun that has been altered to make it less than 660 mm (26 inches) in overall length;
a rifle or shotgun that has been altered to make the barrel length less than 457 mm (18 inches) where the overall firearm length is 660 mm (26 inches) or more;
an automatic firearm and a converted automatic firearm;
any firearm prescribed as prohibited.

I stand corrected on the aforementioned ban on prohibited firearms, I thought it came into effect in the 1930s, BUT the official legislation as it stands today came into effect on January 1, 1978. Anyone who had a prohibited weapon at that time was allowed to keep it given the correct licensing and registration, however that weapon could not be sold and when that person passed away the weapon had to be turned into the RCMP for destruction. Also, individuals could keep former automatic weapons if they were "altered" to only semi-automatic.

I imagine a lot of people at that time didn't want to go through the loopholes required for a prohibited weapon and either sold them or destroyed them before the legislation came into effect.