Canada has a pretty high gun ownership rate to begin with (including handguns), probably higher in places like NB than other places. Agree that tourists should not bring un-registered guns into Canada without the proper paperwork, but don't really see this as an "alarming trend" -- more so evidence of a slow news day and perhaps the preoccupation of the press with gun ownership in general. The fines being met out seem about right in relation to the "harm" caused.