Canadians have to have a valid license(called a PAL) to own or purchase firearms.You have to be 18 in Canada to buy (any type) of firearms.To buy or possess handguns you have to have a license with a special endorsement called a “restricted PAL”-which means you’ve taken a safe handling course etc. (and passed a test)specifically for handguns. Canadians are not *generally* allowed to carry handguns on their person-doing so requires another special permit that is very difficult to acquire and is only issued to persons in occupations where there is a “high risk” they might be attacked(mostly attorneys and judges)-but persons working in areas where there are dangerous animals (grizzly bears) can also acquire one ,but this requires a letter from an employer and all kinds of other mumbo-jumbo.Essentially carrying handguns either “open carried” or concealed is illegal in Canada.Basically these laws apply to anyone whether they are a Canadian citizen or not. The usage and possession of handguns is very tightly restricted in Canada-they must be registered -you cannot even transport them in a vehicle without a special permit that states where you’re taking it,on what day and at what time-and for what purpose.If you try and bring handguns into the country from the USA they’ll be seized at the border and you’d be refused entry into Canada.The only way foreign nationals can bring handguns into Canada is if they are participating in an internationally sanctioned shooting competition-and this requires a ton of paperwork in advance of entry.It should be noted that carrying ANY type of weapon for “personal defense” is illegal in Canada-this includes knives,pepper spray etc.While you can buy these things and have these things on your person you cannot carry them with the INTENT of using them for personal defense. In other words if a police officer asked you why you had a knife on your person and you said “I use it to cut rope ” or some other “task” that’s perfectly legal-however-if you were asked why you had a knife and you said “this is a bad neighborhood and I want to protect myself from ***holes”-this is illegal and you could be charged with (illegal ) possession of a weapon dangerous to public peace....
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