Quebec is getting ready to proceed with an ill advised gun registry, despite the number of protests, the 50,000 signature petition or phone calls to politicians. Quebec’s habit of adopting progressive policies at the behest of the right lobby group, will continue.

Public Security Minister Martin Coiteaux even said he’s open to amending the gun registry bill to toughen it up.

Canada hasn’t had a gun registry for nearly four years. Have we seen an outbreak of gun violence beyond the usual gangs shooting each other with illegal smuggled guns? Like all gun control efforts, Quebec’s bill won’t fix that or do anything to prevent illegal gun use. It will simply target law abiding gun owners.

As the bill appears set to pass, the Minister hints he may take advice from ill informed activists to add even more unnecessary measures. Anti gun activists wrongly claim guns can be sold privately without confirming the person you’re selling to has a valid permit. This is false but the Montreal Gazette and other media report it as fact. From the Gazette:

“Several groups invited to present briefs at the National Assembly during the five days of hearings, including PolySeSouvient and Quebec’s directors of public health, urged the minister to close a loophole in the federal legislation that allows someone to sell their firearm without any obligation to check whether the buyer has a valid permit. Isabelle Goupil-Sormany, representing public health directors, and gun control activist Heidi Rathjen argued that check should be mandatory in Quebec’s law.”

If they think you can sell a gun to someone in Canada without checking to make sure the person has a gun licence, they should try it. They’d be locked up.

Look at sections 99, 100 and 101 of the criminal code to see the offence and the punishment for selling or transferring a firearm to a person who isn’t authorized by the Firearms Act to possess one. You could be looking at 3-5 years in jail.

Transfer without authority

101 (1) Every person commits an offence who transfers a prohibited firearm, a restricted firearm, a non-restricted firearm, a prohibited weapon, a restricted weapon, a prohibited device, any ammunition or any prohibited ammunition to any person otherwise than under the authority of the Firearms Act or any other Act of Parliament or any regulations made under an Act of Parliament.

That seems pretty clear and if these activists, the Quebec Minister and media outlets are going to make wild claims, the least they can do is back them up and maybe read the law.



When selling a gun privately in Canada, you’re required to check the licence of the buyer. No licence, no gun. Not sure? Call the Firearms Centre and they’ll confirm whether someone has a licence or if the licence is valid.



The Quebec bill isn’t aimed at curtailing gun violence but about harassing law abiding gun owners to make owning a gun less inviting. It doesn’t stop criminals from getting guns. It’s easier to get them on the street than legally any way.



One day gun grabbers might learn these measures are a waste of effort in the wrong direction but I’m not holding my breath on that.