Would have to read the article to comment. In Canada we don't carry firearms or any other types of weapons to protect ourselves, we usually dial 911.

I did watch the whole newsclip. It was by Brian Lilley of the Sun News, but could not get a date. Yes it is scarry and I did not know you had to register your guns but now you don't. No I do not own a gun, but my friends go hunting all the time.
Just curious about this issue

No one carries guns. Hunters etc have to register long guns, such as rifles.

Short handguns are illegal, period.
The very much short-coming of the whole registration process is that the legal gun owners (hunters) and the bad guys of course wouldn't register their guns.

Guns can always be bought thru the underground, and are smuggled in from the US. There are many killings in the past decade, and none by registered gun-owners, So no one is sure what the whole registry has done to stop killings.

Ha ha, no one wants to touch this with a ten-foot pole! I don't see a link but have found over the years that it's always good to consider the source of a story--a little research doesn't take too long now. I have an elderly neighbor who has just learned how to use the computer. He sends me all kinds of 'forwards,' and believes them all, no matter what I tell him about the nature and motivations of these emails.

Gun deaths are much lower in nations like Canada where guns are strictly controlled on the national level. Remember, not all gun-related deaths are 'crimes'. There are plenty of accidents, and many suicides. Any argument can become quickly and finally fatal when a gun is at hand.

Every nation has angry, depressed and mentally ill people, but nations with gun controls have a miniscule number of gun deaths compared to the US. A comparison has been made between Toronto and Chicago, demographic 'twins'. Toronto averages fewer than 50 gun deaths annually, compared to the 500-plus in Chicago.

AFAIK there are no stats on gun *injuries* in the US, but you'd only need to talk to ER doctors in any American city to see the problem.

Look up the worldwide rankings of nations by percentages of gun deaths per population. The US is ranked among third world countries, some involved in civil wars -- far from the stats of other first world nations with gun controls.

Oh, that happened in my area! Let me see if I can find the article I'm thinking of and you can tell me if it's the same one.

Is this the one?

Here is a link that might be useful: Aquitted

There was a huge cost to get the long guns registered several years ago, about a billion for a population of something like 35 million people. A big to-do was made about it ... and the more conservative party dumped it when they came to power. One province sued them, to be able to keep the registry in their area --- don't know whether that's all resolved yet.

One must undergo a profile check and get a firearms acquisition certificate in order to be able to buy a long gun.

There are severe restrictions on owning handguns. A man that I knew a number of years ago said that he had a licensed one ... but had to get a permit to carry it from his home to a shooting range.

Only police and high level security-related people are allowed to carry hand guns, here.

And if you plan to visit Canada ... leave your guns at home, if you plan to keep them. If you bring them in without declaration, expect a peck of trouble if the fact becomes known while you're here.

ole joyful

Chisue, guns aren't really "controlled" in other modern and industrialized countries - they're mostly prohibited. This state of affairs in the US is so sad, it's another consequence of our non-functioning government.

The funny thing is, not only would the US be better off for it, so would Mexico. The tragic drug wars and murders of thousands of people in its areas near the US border have been enabled by guns smuggled in from the US. (Guns are much less available in Mexico than here). Does that tell you something?

Prohibited is fine with me, Snidely. (But really, isn't it 'control' when people can legally register guns for legitimate uses, like hunting?)

What do you want me to glean from the drug wars in Mexico? I know the US is buying the drugs -- what is *wrong* with us? -- and the supplies are coming from all over. I know that more guns 'in society' equals more gun deaths. I know that it would be easier for police to arrest people for possession of guns if the guns weren't everywhere. I can't imagine how law enforcement can work with everybody and his brother 'packin' heat'. "Excuse me, sir, I need to see your permit for that..." BANG!

I am Canadian and agree with Jasdip. Unfortunately every week (night?) we hear on the news about yet another person being shot - or killed with a knife - but dead is dead. I was called as a juror in a first degree murder trial last year - murder by gun shot. Protecting your property often ends up with the homeowner being blamed for doing just that. Much like a thief breaking a leg while trying to sneak into your house to steal from you. A civil suit in our litigious society.

"What do you want me to glean from the drug wars in Mexico?"

I've heard it said that the land border between the US and Mexico is the only one in the world (or maybe the most significant one) separating a large developed country from a large underdeveloped one. With that perspective, it's a sad irony that we cause them a problem instead of (what normally would be) the other way around.

I just looked up gunshot death statistics for the U.S.A. vs. Canada. In the last year that complete statistics are available, 2010, the U.S. had 31,076 gunshot deaths. Canada had 170 gunshot deaths. My family is from Windsor Ontario, which is just a 5 minute drive across the Detroit River to the U.S. In 2010, Detroit had 532 gun crimes for every 100,000 people. Windsor had 0 for the same number of people.

It must be a very frightening and a frustrating 'Catch-22' for many of our American friends who happen to live in larger, high crime cities. Unfortunately, once the 'criminal population' has become armed, the regular, law abiding population often feels compelled to own firearms also, in case the need of self protection arises. I know that's how I'd feel, anyway.

pickyshopper -- Except 'self protection' doesn't work that way. More guns = More gun deaths. It's the only common denominator in the equation. It's not all crimes. It's not all in cities. Gun deaths are taking place all over America every day.

Many people die by gunshot where no 'crime' is committed. There are many suicide attempts made certainly fatal with a gun. There are kids accidentally shooting other kids, family members and themselves. Altercations that used to involve words or fists become lethal with a gun. Frightened, depressed or angry people need only a second to kill with a gun -- on impulse, before the civilized brain kicks in. A temporary problem results in death for one person and a lifetime of guilt for the shooter.

chisue, I totally agree with everything you said. I'm the daughter, wife and sister of a police officer. I just meant that it would be very pompous of my fellow Canadians to criticize any Americans who own guns, when we have the luxury of knowing that if we are ever confronted by an intruder in our home, there would only be a miniscule chance that the person would be carrying a firearm. Our American neighbours can't count on that.

A customer came into the store I work at last month who had recently moved here from Houston Texas. She told me she's never felt so safe and free knowing that we don't pack here and if someone gets mad at her, we'll just yell at her politely. LOL I thought that was hilarious......

No, we cannot shoot someone for breaking into our home. We dial 9-1-1.

We may not have a lot of death from firearms in Windsor but it seems the weapon of choice here is a knife usually used during a downtown bar fight.

The only protection it seems we need in the area where I live is a locked door and a dog that barks and neighbours who watch out for each other and their property.

It's still nerve-wracking in the large cities here in Ontario.
You just know the neighbourhoods to avoid, (as in any large city), because there will likely be guns.

Just last week, 3 people were in there car outside their townhouse complex and bullets were riddled in the car. 2 dead and one in critical condition. Drive-by shootings are not unheard of at all. This wasn't even in a rough area.

One of the most heartbreaking was a number of years ago a teenage girl was out shopping with her parents on New Years Eve. A shooting happened and she was shot accidentally.

Almost all of the killings are gang-related. They are able to get illegal guns easily.

Pickyshopper, I would have thought there were far more than 170 shooting deaths all across Canada.

Eccentric will agree with me, that there were a number of shootings in recent years in Toronto alone.

Here's a webpage that is only updated to 2009. Must find a more recent page. It shows gun related deaths, along with other homicide statistics for Canada.

Here is a link that might be useful: Guns in Canada

I can't seem to find anything more recent. :( But this is as close as I'm going to get. On one site it lists the top 10 homicide cities in Canda. Calgary was not on that list. I am not afraid to walk outside at night alone. I live in what most people in this city call the most dangerous place. IMO, if you're crazy enough to walk outside in the most dangerous place the crazy people probably think you're crazier than them and they leave you alone. Some of the worst attacks here though lately, seem to be downtown. Some guy had his face slashed by a broken bottle a few nights ago, when he told a stranger he didn't have any cigarettes to give him. My own nephew was stabbed in the chest a few years ago while walking through park in the opposite side of the city for the same thing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Overall homicide rate in Canada