Gun politics in Canada is controversial, though less contentious than it is in the United States. Civilian firearm owners in Canada mainly consist of citizens who want to keep their right to hunt for sport and subsitence, which is important for many First Nations peoples, as well as target shooting sports and collectors. As far as the Firearms Act of 1995 is concerned, self-defence is not a valid reason to acquire a firearm in Canada. Controls on civilian use of firearms date from the early days of Confederation, when Justices of the Peace could impose penalties for carrying a handgun without reasonable cause.[1] Criminal Code of Canada amendments between the 1890s and the 1970s introduced a series of minor controls on firearms. In the late 1970s, controls of intermediate strength were introduced. In the mid 1990s significant increases in controls occurred. A 1996 study showed that Canada was in the mid-range of firearm ownership when compared with eight other western nations. Nearly 22% of Canadian households had at least one firearm, including 2.3% of households possessing a handgun.[2]

As of December 2009, the Canadian Firearms Program recorded a total of 1,843,913 valid firearm licenses, roughly 5.4% of the population, with a total of 7,459,504 registered firearms (September 2009). The four most licensed provinces are Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia.[3]