Canadian Gun Control Struggling with US Imports

In the past, Canadian law enforcement personnel would be both surprised and intrigued when a firearm was brought in off the streets. Nowadays, however, confiscating firearms has become a bitter part of their daily routine, particularly in the metropolitan city of Toronto. The growing frequency of such cases certainly draws attention to changes that have taken place within the Canadian police force and society at large.

A gloomy event was commemorated this week in Toronto, bringing back the memories of a horrific mass shooting that occurred in 2018. The incident unfolded on the vibrant streets of an eastern Toronto district known as Danforth. It was a traumatic episode that left an indelible mark on the neighborhood and its inhabitants.

The large-scale shooting resulted in the tragic loss of two young lives. Reese Fallon, an 18-year-old teenager, and a ten-year-old girl named Julianna Kozis were fatally injured. Additionally, 13 others sustained injuries during the dreadful episode. The grim incident ended with the perpetrator taking his own life.

According to the police investigation, the shooter used a Smith & Wesson handgun that had been legally brought into Canada from its southern neighbor, the United States. This was later purloined from the lawful owner. The devastation unleashed by this single firearm underscores the potential consequences of firearms falling into the wrong hands.

In the aftermath of this incident, the bereaved families brought forth a class-action lawsuit against Smith & Wesson in 2019. The claimants accused the firearm manufacturer of negligence due to their failure to incorporate ‘smart-gun’ technology into their firearms. This technology, like fingerprint recognition systems, could have averted the unwarranted operation of their firearms, such as in the case of the Danforth shooting.

The lawsuit against the gun manufacturer was eventually certified by a judge, post an appeal, in June. This legal action and its implications shine a light on the expectations around responsibility and proactive safety measures in firearm manufacturing, particularly when the weapons can cross borders and end up in various legal jurisdictions.

Canada’s rules and regulations surrounding gun ownership have progressively tightened over recent years. For instance, the majority of assault rifles were outlawed in 2020 following the deadliest mass shooting spree in the country’s history that took place in Nova Scotia.

In 2022, the Canadian government took decisive action, proposing comprehensive laws to tackle gun trafficking. A halt was put on the sale, purchase, and transfer of handguns. As per records, around 1.1 million handguns have been registered across the country. These steps were meant to curtail the availability and misuse of such lethal weapons.

Over the past eight months, even more restrictions have been implemented on specific firearm models as the government proceeded with its gun buyback initiative. The buyback program is specifically aimed at assault-style firearms, further tightening the noose around gun possession and use in the country.

While domestic firearm restrictions continue to be strengthened, policymakers are also addressing the issue of cross-border gun smuggling. According to a 2022 Canadian government report, it was found that approximately 32 percent of all firearms seized during criminal investigations were trafficked into Canada from the United States.

The figures are even more alarming in urban areas of Ontario and Quebec provinces. For instance, Peel Region, encompassing the populous suburbs to the west of Toronto, recorded a staggering 90 percent of total 205 guns seized in 2024 as illicitly imported from across the US border.

Police officials have noted a consistent increase in the number of illegal firearms originating from US states with more lenient gun control regulations. This smuggling route has even been dubbed the ‘Iron Pipeline’ along the Southern United States.

The Toronto Police began tracing the provenance of firearms back in the year 2005. This initiative ensued following a significant increase in gun-related homicides during what was later dubbed the ‘summer of the gun’.

As the premiers of Toronto convened in Huntsville, Ontario, last week to deliberate on ways to bolster Canada’s economy in the midst of an ongoing trade dispute with the United States, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney emphasized that Canada will not consent to a trade agreement with the U.S. at any cost.

Also, in recent news from Western Canada, worsening fire weather conditions have been linked to climate change by a new study, showing another pressing issue the country must contend with.

Onto a more positive note, Central European Petroleum, a smaller Canadian corporation, announced a significant oil discovery in Poland. However, contrasting this promising revelation, Stellantis, an automobile company, suffered financial setbacks due to production halts at Canadian plants. The firm reported a loss of $2.7 billion in the first half of the year.