A Teaser from the upcoming Sept/Oct 2026 issue of our Canadian Firearms Journal

An excerpt from our next issue of our Canadian Firearms Journal, exclusively available through membership with Canada’s National Firearms Association.

In ‘Legal Owners and Legal Guns Involvement in Violent Crime’, published in the September/October 2026 issue, our political commentator Bruce Gold discusses that Canadian firearms policy has increasingly adopted what could be described as a “public health” approach, framing firearm ownership as a ‘societal ill’ issue rather than focusing on criminal misuse. According to Bruce, this perspective treats firearms as though they are inherently harmful, comparable to a public health hazard, and justifies increasingly restrictive regulations aimed at reducing civilian firearm ownership over time. The author contrasts this with an evidence-based approach rooted in criminology and law enforcement, which focuses on the actions of offenders rather than the existence of firearms themselves.

The article contends that Canada’s licensing and screening system already subjects legal firearm owners to extensive oversight, with very few licence refusals or revocations relative to the size of the licensed population. Citing government crime statistics, Bruce argues that legally owned firearms represent only a very small proportion of firearms linked to violent crime, while repeat offenders, gangs, and prohibited individuals account for the bulk of gun violence. Based on this, it can be reasonably concluded that expanding restrictions on licensed firearm owners is unlikely to meaningfully reduce violent crime and instead diverts police resources and public funding away from targeting violent criminals.

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