gun control is an important issue to Canadians in today’s society. Canada has both provincial and federal legislation that restricts the sale, purchase, and use of different kinds of firearms. The United States, on the other hand, do not have federal or state bills restricting the possession or use of firearms, only local laws exist there. A firearm consists of any barreled weapon from which a shot, bullet or other missile can be fired and that is capable of causing serious bodily harm or death. Society’s concerns about protection from violent crimes involving firearms have encouraged Canadian Parliament to pass tougher gun control legislation. The Federal Government responded by passing Bill C-68 that created the Firearms Act, which came into effect in December of 1998. This is by far the strictest gun control law to date. Many Canadians objected to this legislation and wanted it repealed because they believe it is an unnecessary waste of tax dollars to further license and monitor law abiding gun owners. Firearm laws have become an extensive debate in society and also politics.
Politicians from western provinces and rural areas are opposed to these stricter laws because there is a more widespread acceptance and use for guns around them. On the opposite side are politicians from urban areas where crime rates are higher, who embrace the new harsher gun control laws as one solution to violent crimes. There are many pros and cons to the recently passed Firearms Act to control guns in Canada. Severe gun control laws do not limit crime sufficiently enough and it is not worth the government money being spent on it. Government intervention in the licensing of firearms in Canada first took place in 1892. Prior to 1892 all that was needed in Canada to avoid a six-month jail sentence was a reasonable cause to fear assault against life or property (“History of Firearms”, 2000).
The Essay on Should American Gun Laws Be Reformed
... gun-control laws reduce crime. It would seem that Finland shows this to be true. Tighter gun control seemingly drastically reduces gun crime. Are restrictive gun laws ... ever mounting pressure to reform its gun laws. Overall, 337,960 gun related crimes and 31,000 firearms deaths a year results in ... in the past years in Germany, Norway, Finland, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, but nowhere as ...
In 1892 was the first government step in licensing firearms.
A basic permit for pistols was introduced in the Criminal Code. In 1913 it became a criminal offence to sell or distribute firearms to anyone under 16 years old. Government finally recognized that children should not have possession of a firearm. Until 1934 firearm registration was rarely an enforced offence. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police kept records of those purchasing firearms. Handguns had to be re-registered every five years starting in 1939. It also became an offence to alter the serial numbers on guns as records were kept and gun transactions were being monitored.
1951 was the next step in gun control legislation having automatic fire guns added to the list of firearms that were to be registered. A list to categorize firearms as ‘restricted weapons’ and ‘prohibited weapons’ was created in 1968 (“History of Firearms”, 2000).
By this time police were become allowed to search and seize firearms with a judge issued warrant or if they had reasonable grounds that the safety of the public was at stake. On August 5, 1977 Bill C-51 was given royal assent. This bill imposed stricter penalties for those convicted of an indictable offence where a firearm had been used. Bill C-51 also created the requirement of a Firearms Acquisition Certificate (FAC) to properly screen those purchasing guns and to keep records of firearms purchased. A FAC had to be renewed in order to purchase more guns.
This allowed the government to declare who was competent to own a gun. The early 1990’s brought on stricter gun control laws. Bill -17 came into force between 1992 and 1994. It saw many reforms in licensing firearms, FAC screenings, and harsher penalties to those convicted of crimes involving firearms. FAC applicants had to provide identification and two references, have a background check, go through safety training, and then to wait 28 days to receive their FAC. This was the strictest gun control law to date in Canada, until Justice Minister Allan Rock and the Chretien government introduced Bill C-68 in 1995. Bill C-68 created the most controversial gun control legislation in Canada, the Firearms Act. The Firearms Act added a new licensing system for firearms and Criminal Code reforms concerning criminal use of firearms.
The Term Paper on Gun Control 22
... firearms through criminal and noncriminal use. Gun politics deals with rules, regulations, and restrictions on the use, ownership, as well as distribution of firearms. Gun control ... registration and restriction under federal law. The National Firearms Act of 1934 required approval of the local ... January 22, 2013, Congressman Adam Schiff introduced a bill in U.S. House of Representatives to counter ...
The Firearms Act comes into full force January 1, 2003 and the deadline for all firearm owners to get a license is January 1, 2001 (“Phasing-in Plan”, 2000).
The FAC system is replaced by the new licensing system created by this act. A license is now required to possess and acquire firearms, and to buy ammunition. Even mere possession for a gun collection requires that one have this new license. All firearms including all shotguns and rifles used for hunting must be registered. The Firearms Act included Criminal Code amendments providing harsher penalties for certain crimes where firearms were used (“History of Firearms”, 2000).
Kidnapping, sexual assault, and murder where firearms had been used are a few examples of these crimes. This is a controversial bill because it was appealed to the Supreme court of Canada by the Alberta Court of Appeal saying that the licensing and registration provisions of the Firearms Act are provincial jurisdiction and not federal. A unanimous decision by the Supreme Court stated the Firearms Act did not undermine provincial power and The Firearms Act possesses all three criteria required for a criminal law. Gun control has traditionally been considered valid criminal law because guns are dangerous and pose a risk to public safety. The regulation of guns as dangerous products is a valid purpose within the criminal law power. That purpose is connected to prohibitions backed by penalties. (“Supreme Court Decision”, 2000) Bill C-68 proved to be constitutional and the Firearms Act looked very efficient on paper. Parliament has taken a step in satisfying the public need for protection against violent criminal acts with the use firearms.
Criminal Court Visit Essay
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to highlight the different aspect of the Criminal Justice after visiting the criminal justice office(s). The visit is done during the last week of September 2010 and the visiting point was the United States District First Court of Appeal, the court located at 301 S. ML King Blvd. Tallahassee, Florida. In this paper the findings will be discussed that what ...
Violent crime is an issue that most Canadians take seriously. It coincides with the control of guns in society. For every civilian home where a firearm is owned, it increases the chance that it may fall into the hands of a criminal. Everyone wants to feel safe in their own homes and communities. Most Canadians purchase firearms for recreational use and not for protection. If this is the case then the answer to the question of whether guns are necessary in society is no.
Whether guns should be this tightly registered and monitored is what the controversy is about. Citizens in the wester ….
