The Firearms Act
The Firearms Act is a piece of legislation that governs the granting of authorizations for the ownership of firearms, illegal weapons, and restricted weapons in Canada. (Canada.ca, 2016b). The Act was created in 1995 to stop crimes involving weapons and firearms that are listed in Part III of the Criminal Code.
Transportation of Controlled Firearms
The Canadian Firearms Act's Section 19 (1) specifies a number of locations where a person with a license allowing them to possess controlled firearms may transport them. These areas include a target place, a shooting club, a target shooting competition, or a shooting range which is approved under section 29 of the Firearm Act (Canada.ca, 2016a; Marsh, 2000). The other place where such individual is allowed to transport firearms is firearms safety training or course for the provision of instructions for the use of the firearms. However, the course should be approved by the federal minister.
Transportation for Specific Purposes
The individual can also transport firearms when h/she changes residences or wants to transport the firearms to a chief firearm official or a peace officer for disposal or registration as required under the Criminal Code or the Firearm Act (Canada.ca, 2016a; Boyd, 2011). The officer can also transport firearms for storage, repair, sale, appraisal, to a gun show.
Transportation by Public Officers
The regulations related to transportation of firearms imply that public officers including peace officers, those training to become peace officers or public officers, or members of Canadian Forces are not guilty of an offense under the Criminal Act or the Firearms Act when caught transporting firearms (McClurg, Kopel, & Denning, 2002). However, the individual should be performing duties as a public officer by the time of transporting the firearms.
References
Boyd, N. (2011). Canadian law: An introduction. Toronto: Nelson Education.
Canada.ca. (2016a). Registration certificates. Retrieved from http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/F-11.6/page-4.html#h-11
Canada.ca. (2016b). Firearms Act. Retrieved from http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/F-11.6/page-1.html
Marsh, J. H. (2000). The Canadian Encyclopedia: The year 2000 edition. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart.
McClurg, A. J., Kopel, D. B., & Denning, B. P. (2002). Gun control and gun rights: A reader and guide. New York: New York University Press.
