Reader Sean M. writes:
Here is a link to a news report of a shooting in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in broad daylight. The man was shot while on the ground. According to witnesses, he started an argument with two men his girlfriend said he shouldn’t have pissed off. I knew him well. We went to school together. He was a notorious bully when he was young. He grew out of it as far as I knew and never bothered me or my friends. I haven’t talked to him in ten years but it is still sad to see him go. He was 33, my age. But someone was shot in Canada where there are no handguns. OMG!
You got us cold, Dan. We’ve been saying over and over that there’s NO gun crime in Canada.
Can’t fool you, huh?
Are you making an admission or being an asshat?
My vote is the second option.
Note mikey’s use of the Royal “We.” He must think that he’s Queen Victoria.
Thanks for a good laugh.
Maybe you missed the byline, Mike. The post was written by one of our readers.
Does that mean you’re not in support of what he said? You agree with me that it’s bullshit to exaggerate like that?
The point is, Michael, that even strict gun control does not eliminate gun crime. But I’d like to think you knew that.
No one’s talking about “eliminating” anything. I’d like to think you knew that.
You really should worry about destroying a fundamental human right in your own country rather than try to do so in mine.
Bully he was no bully he was 100 pounds and I would like to know we u got ur info I also grew up with dale. That’s just not right to say he was a bully WOW what a loser !! He just probaly kicked ur ass lol
Thanks for that. Stating he wasn’t a bully and in the same paragraph stating that he kicked someones ass… makes a lot of sense.
RIP. Sean, hope you’re doing ok with having known the victim in the past.
“He said she (the victim’s girlfriend) yelled at the victim, “I told you not to piss them off.” Just what a bleeding man who has two bullet holes in him needs to hear. I hope the argument did not start over the two thugs being disrespectful to the girlfriend.
Last I read, Canada allowed handguns with barrels over 4” to be legally owned. Has that changed?
No, that has not changed but carrying them concealed is completely not allowed. Also handgun permits being handed out are a rare, rare thing. At least in the province I was from.
I am fine. It is sad to see someone you knew go but Edmonton is known as Canada’s murder capital. People from back here are stabbed and killed up there every year (a lot of oil rig work).
Being where I am from it is just a little sobering to hear this happen to someone you know.
Sean,
Thanks for your reply. For home defense, I prefer the handgun over the long gun. I’ll seek to avoid Edmonton and arguments in the context that the victim had with strangers. Sometimes it is better or necessary to simply swallow one’s pride and not confront someone even when the other is clearly in the wrong and violating our emotional space. It all depends on context.
Yep, nothing is worth being shot like a dog in the street for. Defending yourself and others but not this. A sad ending for sure.
Nope. Over 4 inches for barrels and a Possession and Acquisition licence. Hand guns are restricted fire arms and may not be carried. Can only be transported from your home to the range or from your home to a gunsmith. If you have a Authorization to Transport certificate (piece of paper supplied by the RCMP) to transport a restricted fire arm that is,
Generally speaking, if you can pass an annoying, but not all that tough test and get a Restricted Firearms Acquisition Cert, you can buy pretty much any firearm, at a grossly inflated price ($75o for a Glock), but your rifle mags will be 5 rounds and pistols 10. And you cannot carry anywhere, ever, except a long gun while actually hunting. And you can’t hunt with restricted weapons, which includes all ARs. Even home carry is effectively illegal.
Didn’t you have to have a reason for even being allowed to do the test though, Anon? I thought you had to have to be in fear of your life or person?
I don’t think so – I’m expat now, but was back in BC shooting with a buddy last week. It’s not like you can legally carry a pistol, but you can own to shoot for sport. Only cops, some border/immigration officers and security guards transporting large amounts of cash can carry.
Yeah, that’s what I figured. Thanks.
The deal is that you have to do an interview with the office of the CFO (Chief Firearms Officer) for your province. Typically, you just explain you are a shooting enthusiast and/or collector.
It should help if you already have your PAL as that requires an RCMP background check anyway.
There is an indoor pistol range being built near my neighbourhood and so long as the membership fee is not too nuts, I will go after my RPAL and get something. Glock is indeed overpriced up here but there are other decent options that are not too retarded. The SR9, for instance, is available for about $500 + tax.
Oh and you can get and ATC (Authorization to carry) in Canada but they are WAY near impossible to get. Unless you are a wilderness guide and the like and then they are easier to get but only cover you when you are off in the woods. Dumb but hey.
An ATC in Canada is almost always for people who are in danger for some existential reason for the rest of their lives like if you are a scum bag defence lawyer or something like that. Or if you are a victim of domestic violence but there is no easy way to keep the convicted behind bars for the rest of their lives.
Like I have said here before, Canada/Dominion of Canada has never allowed pistols as free carry in over 200 years. I would not mind it changing at all but not expecting it any time soon. We would be more likely to see the rifle barrel length restrictions loosened long before that and honestly, if I had to choose between the two at this time, I would choose the barrel length.