Ownership of Restricted Firearms way up!

[Twisted Canuck]

So the number of restricted firearms in Canada has doubled in the last ten years.

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/politics...2015-1.3745464

That's good news to me, the more people that own them, the stronger the stance will be against more onerous gun laws. So with these stats, I notice that they didn't mention that crimes committed with legally registered firearms hasn't actually skyrocketed. Despite what some think.....

"It's extremely worrisome," she said in an interview with CBC News. "These restricted weapons pose a significant threat to public health – that's why they are restricted."

"We feel that any weapon with military characteristics should be banned. It shouldn't be legal and so to see the growing numbers of these weapons is very worrisome."

Legally registered firearms are not what's posing a significant threat to 'public health' lady. Sorry, major fail there. Fentanyl, now there is a significant threat to public health, although it is usually ingested voluntarily. And gang activity with unregistered, illegally obtained firearms, that may be a threat. Even those are more a threat to other gangsters than the general public. But keep up that fear mongering. And 'weapons' with military characteristics? What does that mean? That they are black and scary looking? Or that they can be fired in a fully automatic mode, which are already prohibited? Uneducated and ignorant people, trying to explain the way things should be for everyone else. How....liberal.

Anyway, pleased to see that despite the obnoxious laws we have here regarding the ownership of firearms, people are still buying them, and using them for legal purposes like target shooting and hunting. And just to have.

[dmcbride]

Correct me if I am wrong, but hasn't gun violence decreased? Or has it doubled since 2004?


http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/politics...2015-1.3745464

The number of restricted guns in Canada shot up 9.5 per cent last year, bringing the number of restricted firearms registered across the country to its highest point in more than a decade.

Since 2004, the number of restricted firearms such as semi-automatic rifles and handguns in Canada has doubled.

According to the latest report of Canada's Commissioner of Firearms, there were 795,854 restricted firearms registered to Canadian owners in 2015 compared with 384,888 in 2004.

The sharpest increase in 2015 was in Ontario, where the number of restricted firearms rose 14.8 per cent to 294,838. Ontario had nearly twice as many restricted guns as Alberta, where the total rose 7.9 per cent to 162,403. Ontario has about 12.8 million residents, to Alberta's 3.6 million.

The third largest number of restricted firearms was in British Columbia, where a 6.2 per cent rise brought the number to 144,725.

Increases in other provinces varied across the country:

Newfoundland and Labrador, 11 per cent
Nova Scotia, 4.5 per cent
Prince Edward Island, 4.3 per cent
New Brunswick, 5.7 per cent
Quebec, 7.7 per cent
Manitoba, 3.4 per cent
Saskatchewan, 6.9 per cent
Yukon, 7 per cent
Northwest Territories, 5.9 per cent
Nunavut, 11.5 per cent
At the same time the number of prohibited firearms in Canada declined by 1.78 per cent.

No numbers on unrestricted firearms

It is impossible to know exactly how many non-restricted firearms there are in Canada. In 2011, the last year statistics were available before the Conservative government ended the reporting on non-restricted firearms, there were 7.1 million non-restricted guns in Canada.

In a statement, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said he wants to strike a balance between public safety and the rights of gun owners.

"Our government believes in balanced, effective gun control that prioritizes public safety while ensuring law-abiding firearms owners do not face unfair treatment under the law," Goodale said, pointing out that the statistics cover firearms that are legally owned and subject to "significant restrictions."

"Our priority is on making it harder for criminals to get, and to use, handguns and assault rifles."

tp-tony1-bernardo-cbc-306-100913
Gun advocate Tony Bernardo says the rise in restricted firearms can be explained by the increase in popularity of sports shooting. (CBC)
Much of the period that has seen the sharpest increase in restricted firearms corresponds to former Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government – an administration that tended to favour fewer restrictions on gun ownership.
However, that period also corresponds to an increase in popularity of handguns and semi-automatic assault style rifles across North America, say experts like A.J Somerset, author of Arms: The Culture and the Credo of the Gun.

Somerset says much of the increase in popularity of restricted firearms in Canada originates in the United States where laws have changed to make it easier to buy handguns and assault-style rifles. That has led to more models on the market and more advertising – attracting Canadian gun owners as well, he said.

"The trend in the United States with this growing market, with all kinds of marketing and advertising and so on, is naturally just pushing the same trend in Canada and we see growth in restricted firearms licences as a result."

Fear of terrorism is also fuelling some of the interest in restricted firearms, he added.

"People feel that they have a need to have firearms for self defence to a greater extent than in the past."

Prohibited and restricted firearms in Canada, 2005-2015
Table view
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
Source: Commissioner of Firearms, RCMP
The number of restricted firearms in Canada has nearly doubled since 2005, while the number of prohibited firearms has fallen slightly.

Target shooting has increased

Tony Bernardo of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association says an increase in popularity of target shooting in Canada explains the increase in the number of legal, restricted firearms.

"These firearms are used exclusively as target firearms by Canadians. In fact, they may only be discharged on a licensed range, despite the suitability of many restricted firearms for hunting purposes."

Bernardo said the decrease in prohibited firearms is due to the government's decision in 1993 to freeze the number of prohibited firearms in Canada.

"The existing owners were grandfathered, grandfathering being a form of deferred confiscation. As the owners of the legal firearms age, reduction by attrition is inevitable."

Prohibited and restricted firearms by province, 2015

Prohibited and restricted firearms by province, 2015
Breakdown of prohibited and restricted firearms in Canada in 2015 by province and territory, according to statistics compiled by the Commissioner of Firearms. (CBC)
Heidi Rathjen, a gun control advocate with PolySeSouvient and a survivor of Montreal's 1989 Ecole Polytechnique massacre, says the rise of the number of restricted firearms across Canada is cause for concern.

'Worrisome' trend

"It's extremely worrisome," she said in an interview with CBC News. "These restricted weapons pose a significant threat to public health – that's why they are restricted."

Rathjen said the restricted category of firearms includes, not only hand guns, but also rifles with military characteristics.

Provost Rathjen
Nathalie Provost, second from left, and Heidi Rathjen, second from right, survived the 1989 Polytechnique massacre in Montreal and are advocates for gun control. Rathgen says she wants to see Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government move on its promises to tighten gun rules in Canada. (CBC)
"We feel that any weapon with military characteristics should be banned. It shouldn't be legal and so to see the growing numbers of these weapons is very worrisome."

Rathjen said she hopes Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government will soon act on the promises it made during last year's election to tighten gun rules in Canada.

"Hopefully we can reverse this with better legislation, better screening and better applying the laws we already have on the books which were undermined by the previous government."

[SamSteele]

The article doesn't say (maybe I missed it) if the number of restricted firearms owners has increased as well or if the existing owners just have more of them now. I would hope that the number of owners has increased as well as that would indicate more people getting into the sport rather than just more current owners buying more.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Twisted Canuck]

Originally Posted by SamSteele

The article doesn't say (maybe I missed it) if the number of restricted firearms owners has increased as well or if the existing owners just have more of them now. I would hope that the number of owners has increased as well as that would indicate more people getting into the sport rather than just more current owners buying more.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No, it doesn't clarify number of new owners. Probably not up as much, though I do see a huge increase in new RPAL owners in my social/gun club circles.

[coreya3212]

Posted in another thread already.

[CMichaud]

Did crime with registered restricted weapons also increase? If so, by how much in comparison?

[CaberTosser]

How does Heidi Rathjen rate as a 'survivor' of the Ecole Polytechnique massacre when she wasn't ever in the same classroom? I was at SAIT Polytechnique when that event went down so I guess that makes me a survivor too?

If Gamil Gharbi's Ruger was never once aimed at her, it doesn't make her a 'survivor'. It's fine if she wants to campaign for her beliefs, while I certainly don't agree with her illogical stance I absolutely support her exercising her freedoms. I do take offense to her misrepresenting herself as a survivor in order to illicit sympathy and credibility.


As for the gun number increase in the last decade I count myself among those 'new owner' numbers (just got my 3rd gen PAL) and I hope to increase those numbers yet. There's safety in numbers when we need to defend ourselves against ineffective and onerous legislation passed by people focusing their energies on the wrong targets.

[Stricks]

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

So with these stats, I notice that they didn't mention that crimes committed with legally registered firearms hasn't actually skyrocketed. Despite what some think.....
.

^^^ This in spades...

I have taught my kids that 'lying by omission' is a tactic commonly deployed by 'a certain group' and they should learn to read between the lines....

[CaberTosser]

I'd be interested in seeing some StatsCan numbers comparing the number of registered firearms to both related crime and the population. Obviously our population has not increased by 50% in the last decade, so it would stand to reason that if firearm-related crime was approximately level in that time period then more guns are not dangerous, the remaining common denominator would be criminally-minded people.

If a person already under a firearms ban manages to source and commit a crime with a firearm. that should be noted. It would prove that the wrong people are being targeted, and that the punishment being doled out to the repeat offenders is rarely sufficient.

[elkhunter11]

"It's extremely worrisome," she said in an interview with CBC News. "These restricted weapons pose a significant threat to public health – that's why they are restricted."

Just another B.S. statement by someone that obviously hasn't looked at which firearms are restricted, and which firearms are not. The AR-15 for example is no more of a threat to the public than the mini 14, yet the AR-15 is restricted , while the mini 14 is not restricted. In fact it was the mini 14 that was used in the massacre that led to many of our firearms regulations being enacted.

Another bit of information that would be interesting to see, is just how many firearms were listed as restricted in 2004, compared to how many firearms are listed as restricted weapons today. If more firearms are now restricted, then it only makes sense that there are more restricted firearms in the hands of Canadians.

[HighlandHeart]

Fear mongering? From the Liberals who ran this ad?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMsqEph7a8I

[brendan's dad]

Actually the gun industry attributes the spike to the liberals getting in to power. Persons with no previous restricted went out and purchased a handgun and AR15 platform from fear that they would be re-classified. They did this so to be "grandfathered" into the new class as happened in 1995. This was actually being suggested and pushed on CGN.

No different then when Obama threatens a new restriction in the states and everyone goes purchase crazy.

[Kim473]

I would like to know which provinces had the largest increases.

[nekred]

unintended consequences of licensing and registration of long arms....

people think... I have to go through a rigmarole for my unrestricted arms, heck I might as well get a few restricted ones too....

The liberals did not see that one coming!....

[dmcbride]

Originally Posted by Kim473

I would like to know which provinces had the largest increases.

Ontario, BC and Alberta. It is in the link.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cana...2015-1.3745464

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by nekred

unintended consequences of licensing and registration of long arms....

people think... I have to go through a rigmarole for my unrestricted arms, heck I might as well get a few restricted ones too....

The liberals did not see that one coming!....

Many would rationalize after having seen so many firearms being prohibited/ grandfathered as 12.6 they should also get some restricteds so as to be grandfathered themselves if more restrictions come down from Ottawa.

[rugatika]

"It's extremely worrisome," she said in an interview with CBC News. "These restricted weapons pose a significant threat to public health – that's why they are restricted."

Rathjen said the restricted category of firearms includes, not only hand guns, but also rifles with military characteristics.

Good to know. Making a lunatic commie worry about something of no consequence to public safety is a terrific side benefit to owning some restricted guns for target shooting.

I encourage all gun owners to get their rpal and experience the fun of target shooting AND causing undue worry amongst the lunatic fringe.


PS: A recent very scientific study has shown that 100% of gun owners don't bully their co-workers or make them miss family funerals like liberals do.

[Brbpuppy]

Originally Posted by rugatika

"It's extremely worrisome," she said in an interview with CBC News. "These restricted weapons pose a significant threat to public health – that's why they are restricted."



Rathjen said the restricted category of firearms includes, not only hand guns, but also rifles with military characteristics.



Good to know. Making a lunatic commie worry about something of no consequence to public safety is a terrific side benefit to owning some restricted guns for target shooting.



I encourage all gun owners to get their rpal and experience the fun of target shooting AND causing undue worry amongst the lunatic fringe.





PS: A recent very scientific study has shown that 100% of gun owners don't bully their co-workers or make them miss family funerals like liberals do.

I second this!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LuckyLogger]

Any time a news outlet refers them aa weapons , their intentions are clear. They want firearms to sound evil and scary. If anyone refers to my guns as weapons, regardless of classification, I quickly correct them and refer to them as firearms. I do not own weapons.

[Newview01]

I am split between dumping my restricted firearms or stocking up.

[COMMSBen]

Originally Posted by Newview01

I am split between dumping my restricted firearms or stocking up.

Why would you do such a thing as dumping them out?

The higher the amount of RPAL holders owning restricted firearms the better.

Selling them off would simply mean raising the white flag of defeat and abdicating to the Canadian anti-gun lobby.

We are the safest and most responsible Canadians, not because of the stupid amount of laws & regulations surrounding / allowing you access to firearms, but simply because we respect what firearm ownership entails.

[Newview01]

Originally Posted by COMMSBen

Why would you do such a thing as dumping them out?

The higher the amount of RPAL holders owning restricted firearms the better.

Selling them off would simply mean raising the white flag of defeat and abdicating to the Canadian anti-gun lobby.

We are the safest and most responsible Canadians, not because of the stupid amount of laws & regulations surrounding / allowing you access to firearms, but simply because we respect what firearm ownership entails.

The fine print of owning an RPAL is the reason I would sell them.

But I will probably be more inclined to stock up. I have never been much of a firearms seller, unless I can sell one to buy two.

[700-223]

Originally Posted by nekred

unintended consequences of licensing and registration of long arms....

people think... I have to go through a rigmarole for my unrestricted arms, heck I might as well get a few restricted ones too....

The liberals did not see that one coming!....

That's how I got mine. Had only a couple of old 22's and a 12 g that no one in our household could legally possess as my father's FAC had lapsed. So, I got my PAL and thought I might as well get my RPAL too.

First gun I bought was a rem 700 223 but by the end of that first year I had a sig 226, kimber let, and a versamax. At this point I've just sold two firearms to avoid buying another safe

Now that I've sold 2 though, I think I'm going to by a 17hmr and a 7mm-08 tikka Once you go through the trouble to get a restricted and an ATT, I just thought well, might as well use it!