The evidence does not support the Trudeau Liberal’s gun ban
Firearms crime in Canada will not be affected by these Regulations.
1. The evidence does not support the public safety justification given for these Regulations.
Gun crime is less than one-half of one percent of overall police reported crime; guns are involved in 3% of violent crime, and used to injure a victim in under 1% of incidents. [Juristat, StatsCan presentation to Minister, Feb 18 2019]
The use of firearms in homicide has been exaggerated.
Knives are used as often in homicide as firearms.
| Annual average | (2001-2018) |
|---|---|
| Total methods | 594 |
| Stabbing | 189 |
| Shooting | 187 |
| Beating | 121 |
| Other | 97 |
2. There is no statistical evidence that the affected firearms – or long guns of any kind — are disproportionately used in criminal offences in Canada.
| Annual average | (2001-2018) |
|---|---|
| Total firearms | 187 |
| Handgun | 114 |
| Rifle or shotgun | 41 |
| Fully automatic firearm | 4 |
| Other/type unknown | 28 |
3. Large numbers of civilians own firearms peaceably and legally, according to the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program. On 31 December 2019 the CFP reported that 2,216,509 individuals legally owned firearms. Each legal owner is assessed nightly under the “continuous eligibility screening” program and can lose his or her firearms if a ‘red flag’ is discovered.
Currently own a gun personally
| Canada | 13% |
|---|---|
| BC | 13% |
| Alberta | 18% |
| Saskatchewan | 23% |
| Manitoba | 18% |
| Ontario | 10% |
| Quebec | 12% |
| New Brunswick | 21% |
| Nova Scotia | 16% |
| PEI | 13% |
| Newfoundland | 25% |
Source: Angus Reid 2019
4. Long guns of all kinds are the most popular firearm across Canada; they are primarily used for hunting but also feature prominently in target sports. And have been for more than a century. Without posing disproportionate problems for public safety.
Percentage of Each Type of Firearm
Owned by Firearms Households
| Rifle | 74% |
|---|---|
| Shotgun | 71% |
| Handgun | 11% |
| Other | 1% |
Note: 13% of Canadian households reported owning firearms
Source: GPC 2001 report
5. Canadian gun owners do not pose a threat to public safety. According to Statistics Canada data, gunowners are less likely to commit murder than are other Canadians.
| PAL holder | 0.69 |
|---|---|
| All adults | 2.22 |
| Adult males | 4.71 |
Source: Special Request Statistics Canada
NB. Since PAL holders are adults, the most appropriate comparisons are other adults. Adult males are the most appropriate comparison group, because 80% of PAL holders are male.
6. Gang crime is responsible for gun crime, not lawful owners, and it is growing
Most of gun crime is gang related 47%
Most gang crime is gun related 87%
Source: Firearm-related Crime in Canada, Yvan Clermont, Statistics Canada presentation
18 February 2019
7. The bulk of guns used in homicide are illegally possessed. During the period the long-gun registry was in effect (1998-2012), few registered firearms were used in committing homicide.
Statistics Canada, Homicide Survey Project (1997-2004)
Firearms used in homicide found in registry 16%
Statistics Canada, Special Request (2003-2015)
| Firearms used in homicide | 2,290 |
|---|---|
| Legally registered | 201 |
| Percentage registered | 9% |
This percentage (9%) represents the combined total of stolen firearms, straw-purchased firearms, and firearms used by a legal owner to commit murder.
8. Stolen firearms are not a major source of crime guns. Crime guns are much more likely to have been smuggled than stolen.
Between 1998-2012, Toronto Police Service identified fewer stolen firearms among ‘crime guns’ than smuggled firearms.
Toronto Police Services reported crime guns stolen from a Canadian owner (who may or may not own his or her firearm legally)
| Stolen | Smuggled | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 2% | |
| 2004 | 9% | 24% |
| 2005 | 16% | 38% |
| 2018 | 8% | 40% |
Statistics Canada does not have systematic data collection program for tracing ‘crime guns,’ but it developing one. So all that is available are sporadic police reports and occasional Special Requests from Statistics Canada.
9. Legally owned firearms are unlikely to be stolen and used in violent crimes.
Legal firearms Stolen and Subsequently Used in Violent Crime
| Firearms Registry | 2006-2012 |
|---|---|
| 198,775 | Violent crimes involving firearms |
| 32,450 | Legal firearms reported stolen |
| 3% | Percentage stolen used in violent crimes |
| 974 | Stolen firearms used in violent crime |
| 0.5% | Percentage violent crimes involving firearms stolen from legal owners |
Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Firearms Program, Firearms Registry
10. PAL holders are not involved with gangs (2006-2016)
| PAL holder | No PAL | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gang related | 5 | 219 | 224 |
| Not gang related | 181 | 507 | 688 |
| Unknown | 0 | 29 | 29 |
| 186 | 755 | 941 |
Special request, Statistics Canada
Updated 31 May 2020
Hello, the curtailing of various firearms is most definitely an infringement of property rights – unfortunately, one officer, with a 10 second interview, can state that the individual in question is troubled or unstable. With the price of firearms ( some being worth thousands of dollars – small town police depots do not mind the incredible donations to the pension fund after various seizures ) not all civil wage earners are all that honest.
Excellent research. THese facts have to be brought forward,front and centre and have to be heard.
These statistics are definitive evidence of where the gun problem lies. Therefore, we can easily conclude that Bill C-71 is basically poorly-conceived or worse (misguided, or just another waste of precious taxpayer dollars that are needed for many other health, infrastructure and economy boosting activities that are seemingly of lesser importance to the Liberal camp).
When your opponent appears to be too ignorant or stupid to believe, it is time not to believe. You are assuming that the Liberals care about fighting crime and think gun laws will do something. Perhaps the Liberals don’t care, but just think they can win votes from the public believing gun laws will work. Perhaps they just want to lure the Conservatives into a trap? Perhaps the Liberals just want to fleece their supporters who do believe? Why would the Liberals care about crime? About victims? About gun owners ? They care about power.