More than 1,000 Canadians die every year from gunshot wounds, most of them by their own hand. The violent crime rate has been steadily declining in Canada over the last two decades, and progressively fewer crimes are being committed with firearms. In 1978, Canada recorded 661 homicides, a rate of 2.76 per 100,000. In 1998, Canada had 555 homicides, a rate of 1.83 per 100,000. All guns are capable of being used in crime.
All guns pose a threat to public safety.
The national firearm registry will make it easier to trace guns used in criminal activity and to return stolen guns to their owners. The licensing requirements, which include extensive background checks and a spouse's signature on the application, are designed to prevent those with a history of criminal behaviour, mental illness or spousal abuse from legally owning a gun. To prevent loss of life through accidental shootings, the law requires an applicant for a firearms license to take the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and pass a test demonstrating a basic understanding of who to handle guns safely and the legal responsibilities of firearm ownership. It also requires that all firearms be stored unloaded and locked. The 1996 amendments to the Criminal Code created four-year minimum sentences for violent crime committed using a firearm, including attempted murder, manslaughter, robbery, sexual assault with a weapon and kidnapping.