United States and Canada are polar opposites when it comes to gun control. It is virtually impossible for a private citizen to legally carry a concealed weapon in Canada. The reverse is true in America:

A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
- Second Amendment to the United States Constitution

What constitutes a well-regulated militia is frequently debated. In half of the country today, the police cannot deny its law-abiding citizens the right to carry a concealed weapon.

South of the border

One of the instructors from Pittsburgh was teaching at our Toronto office. For some reason, the conversation slipped into gun control.

• Actually, I have a CCW (Carrying Concealed Weapons) permit.
• Why would you need to carry a gun with you?
• Well, there are two reasons. I was at the courthouse for jury duty, when I saw the forms for a CCW permit. I wondered how easy it was to get the permit, so I paid the $8 and filled in my references. I received the permit in the mail a few weeks later. They never called my references.

Pennsylvania is one of 34 states that must allow its citizens to carry concealed handguns in public. It is against the law for police to refuse a CCW permit to virtually anyone who is not a felon.

It’s around $19 bucks today at your local sheriff’s office, if you’re interested.

• What was the other reason?
• Well, I go hiking in the back woods a lot. I don’t have a holster or anything. I just keep a 9mm on me in case I need it.
• Would a 9mm round even hurt the bear?

Handguns usually lack the range or power needed to knock a bear down from a distance. I’m no expert, but I’d figure that if you’re close enough to hurt the bear, the bear would probably seriously maul you with its claws. Perhaps the loud sound would scare the poor creature away.

• No, I’d shoot my hiking buddy. While the bear attacked him, I’ll run away.

North of the border

Riding on the huge jump in homicides involving guns, the prime minister proposed a complete handgun ban as part of his election platform. Would this plan help stop the rash of gun violence in our cities?

Handguns are already restricted weapons in Canada. The only people who can legally own handguns are either collectors or recreational shooters registered at a sport shooting club. The law does not allow handguns for hunting or personal protection. Around fifty private citizens, in a country of 32 million, are given an exemption to carry firearms for personal protection. These people are usually retired chief justices and former government ministers.

Depending on who you ask, there are 7 to 10 million firearms in total, with 500,000 to 1 million handguns in this country. Last year, there were 172 homicides by firearms. Of that number, 111 people in this country of 32 million died by a handgun.

Wouldn’t that $325 million CND be better spent at improving our health care system, something that can directly save people’s lives?

Luckily, Mr. Martin doesn’t take us for complete idiots. If he does go through with adding 275 new law enforcement officers and 75 new border guards, that would probably help more with the flow of illegal firearms in this country.

Ironically, Canada’s border guards are not allowed to carry guns.