In 2014, a man with a rifle stormed through the Canadian Parliament with intentions of killing as many people as possible. Michelle Rempel, a conservative politician, luckily escaped the shooting, but remained deeply disturbed by the horror she experienced. After studying regulations and crime data, she eventually came to the conclusion that gun ownership in Canada should be allowed–as a responsible pastime. City councils in Montreal and Toronto, however, have a different idea, as they have asked the federal government to ban all handguns and assault rifles. Parliament is now consulting a bill, c-71, that will tighten background checks and record-keeping. In fact, it is believed that the argument over these proposals will help shape the parliamentary election in October 2019.
Unlike United States citizens, Canadians have no constitutional right to bear arms. Sales and possession of firearms are allowed but tightly restricted, buyers must undergo background checks, take safety courses, and get a separate permit to transport firearms, and the purchase of a gun for self-defense is allowed only if buyers can prove that police cannot protect them. Based on this information, I find it surprising that Canada has fifth highest rate of gun ownership among 56 countries (34.7 per 100 people). It’s far behind United States’ rate of 120.5, but higher than that of France, Germany, and Mexico. It is also ranked 107th out of 195 countries for the number of deaths from firearms as a share of the population, with the United States ranking an unsettling 20th. Groups representing all canadian handgun owners say that all of its country’s regulations are tight enough, and further restrictions would not make society safer. Some law enforcement officials agree, including the gun owners themselves. Farmers, who use rifles to shoot pests and predators, fear that enacting a ban on only handguns and rifles could lead to more restrictions.
Gun owners are trying to improve their negative image put on by the rest of society, but it is not impressing prohibitionists. However, Canada’s Opposition Party gets strong support from rural districts. Ms. Rempel sponsored an electronic petition last month calling on the government to scrap c-71 and the proposed ban, as well as to respect “law-abiding” Canadians. Her action has proven to be a success, as over 28,000 people have signed the petition. The Liberals’ prevention on gun ownership, however, may give them an advantage in the next Parliamentary election, as a recent poll found that most Canadians support a handgun ban.
I don’t think it’s wrong to allow U.S. citizens access to guns, but I do believe that we should follow in Canada’s footsteps in regards to tighter restrictions. Canada’s rigid gun laws clearly explain why they are ranked 107th on the number of deaths to firearms scale, but I don’t understand how they have the fifth highest rate of gun ownership among 56 other countries yet haven’t had nearly as many mass shootings as the United States has. After having so many executions by firearms in the past year alone, it would only make sense for the U.S. to enact some form of gun ownership restriction or enforce more background checks before purchase. Why can’t we study countries that have some of the lowest gun violence rates in the world and follow their example? It will be really interesting to see what decisions are made in the Canadian 2019 Parliamentary election. If they end up banning handguns and rifles, then maybe it will make the United States government reconsider our own gun laws.