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[olyeller01]

Being new to the site I can't help but wonder how it is for my Joe-loving brothers up in Canada. 

The first question may seem like an odd one.  What time of year (and how long of a season do you have) to paint outdoors?  And where do you get your paint from?  The reason I ask is because I work for Sherwin-Williams, and I'm mostly curious.  Even though several of our paints can be applied all the way down to 35 degrees Farenheit, it still takes em like 24 hours to dry at that temperature...and it better not get any colder than 35 until they dry!

Second, I can't help but be curious about gun laws in Canada.  How restrictive is the legislation?  How easy is it to buy one?  How many hoops do you have to jump through to go hunting? 

Of course, Texas is one of the most liberal states as far as gun control laws, and fortunately they are trying to make them more liberal all the time.  If someone's breaking into your house and stealing your stuff or threatening you or your family, you can cap 'em.  Also, it's now legal to keep one in your car here, as it's considered part of the "Castle Doctrine."  Previously there were some places you couldn't take your gun even if you had a concealed carry license (mostly government buildings) but I think either that's no longer the case or it will be changed soon.

Last but not least, any of you have any cool guns?  I don't...yet.  I want to get a Springfield XD in .45, an AR-15, and some kind of shotgun before all is said and done with me...

[Scramble]

Yep, those are unusual questions. Beats the whole "do you have running water" questions, though.

You could paint from May to August so that's a solid chunk of the year. Still, you couldn't run a house painting company successfully year round. You'd have to make it a home renovations company so that you stayed relevant in the winter.

I don't own a gun and don't know anyone that owns a gun. It's just not part of the culture. Granted, I'm from a major city and like in the states, every city and town's personality differs. I just played a trivia game with someone from a rural town near Edmonton, which is as far from me as Vegas is from Florida. He says the clues we came up with made no sense to him. Like he didn't know who John Tesh was.

[morgardee]

Gun law in Canada is very tight. All guns have to be registered and getting a hand gun is a lot of work.

I've never shot a gun before. For my birthday this year I wanted to go to a gun range and shot a hand gun at a paper target. They wouldn't allow that. The best I could have done would have been a shot gun or rifle. Plus it was pretty expensive just to do that, so I passed.

I still want to shot a hand gun (legally) some day, but at 37 years of age, I don't see me joining the army or becoming a police or security guard. Well, I guess I could look into security guard, but at 5'6 and a gimpy back, I don't think I'd make a very intimidating guard.

[pdaat]

Growing up on a farm, we did a lot of (mostly) target shooting.  Never used a pistol though.

As for gun control, I'm not really sure how new gun purchases go.  I believe you have to apply for a license first to be able to buy one.  Anyone I know that has a gun had it before the Gun Registry came into effect and simply had to report what they had to the police.

Paul

[ARROW]

Second, I can't help but be curious about gun laws in Canada.  How restrictive is the legislation?  How easy is it to buy one?  How many hoops do you have to jump through to go hunting?

A FAC ( Firearms Acquisitions Certificate) is require to purchase a gun, and the certificate will probably have restrictions on the kinds of weapons you can buy. There's different classifications involved,for rifles, hand-guns, collectible weapons and restricted weapons. There's also waiting periods and mandatory instruction and storage requirements as well.

Of course, Texas is one of the most liberal states as far as gun control laws, and fortunately they are trying to make them more liberal all the time.  If someone's breaking into your house and stealing your stuff or threatening you or your family, you can cap 'em.

The rule of law here is that you can defend yourself up to the point of not breaking a limb or taking a life, unless your life is in imminent danger. Shooting someone who is just breaking into your home would get the home-owner charged with assault because there is no threat to their life. Defending property is not considered grounds for using deadly force.

 

Also, it's now legal to keep one in your car here, as it's considered part of the "Castle Doctrine."  Previously there were some places you couldn't take your gun even if you had a concealed carry license (mostly government buildings) but I think either that's no longer the case or it will be changed soon.

As far as I know.....firearms have to be secured in a specified locker or strongbox within the home. They can be stored in a vehicle ONLY for the purposes of transportation to a gun range, and transport must be direct--that is straight there and back, no stops.

[olyeller01]

First, I want to say thanks to all you guys for answering my questions.  Second, OUCH on the gun control.  I feel sorry for you guys.  All I have to do to purchase just about any kind of gun is roll into the store, pass an FBI background check, and hand over the cash.  As far as carrying one you have to get a concealed handgun license, which is expensive and time-consuming.

Everyone here right now is all scared that Obama is gonna pass new anti-handgun legislation so, it's not too hard to buy a handgun...but ammo is sold out across the country!  If you want ammo for your favorite handgun, especially something popular like the .45, you pretty much gotta show up right when the store's truck comes in.

Personally, I hate gun control legislation because all it does is make it harder for hunters, collectors, or law-abiding persons like myself who want a little protection to get a weapon.  The criminals sure don't follow the laws!  Case in point:  Mexico has some of the most restrictive gun control laws in the world...but the freaking drug trafficking gangs are better armed than the Mexican army, and pretty much run wild!  I dunno if any of you have heard about what's happening down here, but it's kinda dangerous to go to a border town now.

Larry Hama said it best in GI Joe#26, via the Soft Master:  "...legislating against objects is utterly useless, and no amount of legislation will deter men from constructing bigger and better engines of destruction."

[pdaat]

No - the gun registry is a excellent idea!

It deters all of the honest, law abiding citizens from wanting to purchase a gun.

[Canuklehead]

Hardly any gun crimes are committed with registered weapons.  Like Ol' Yeller said, a weapon is for protection.  And, I guess, hobby/sport shooting. 

I really don't think gun control is a bad thing, up here.  I know we have laws and regs in place, but people still get guns and ammo (legally).  My father used to have a decent collection...  a half dozen or so rifles and handguns.  My brother's a military man, so I think he has a gun cabinet or two of his collection (not including those from my dad).  Purchasing and owning a weapon is all fine, within reason. 

My point is, even with gun control legislation up here, it's still not that hard for legitimate hobbiests and hunters to purchase and own firearms.


I wouldn't worry too much about Gun Control, if I were you.  All it'll end up being is a token law, at best. 



And, if the temperature in Texas ever dips below 30, I wouldn't suggest painting your house.  Wait 'til it warms up

[morgardee]

Some fair points have been made about gun control and why it is good and bad. My view is that while crimes are not often caused by a registered gun, these guns need to come from some place in the first place. That can be from a break-in or a family member stealing someone else's gun. How else do so many guns end up out there?

The other thought is what about the children that find daddy's gun and accidentally fire the weapon. Yes, I know the guns are not to be stored loaded but we all know this happens. I knew a guy in high school who shot his friend through the cheek with his father's hand gun because he didn't think there was a bullet in the chamber. Stuff like this does happen.

[BHMike]

I knew a gun in high school.....

Did he graduate? ;-)

[Canuklehead]

Some fair points have been made about gun control and why it is good and bad. My view is that while crimes are not often caused by a registered gun, these guns need to come from some place in the first place. That can be from a break-in or a family member stealing someone else's gun. How else do so many guns end up out there?

Smuggling and the black market.  Weapons are smuggled into the country and sold on the street.  One way (I would guess) is that gun manufacturers sell them to off-shore purchasers who turn back around, smuggle them back into the country and sell them to whomever is buying.  There simply isn't a big enough demand for hobby firearms to meet the demands of the Capitalist stock market - so, to keep their companies viable, they are "forced" to sell to whomever they can, even if they know the buyer is a black market dealer. 

Criminals would have to break in to a LOT of gun owner's homes to supply even a Vancouver gang.  So while maybe a few come from robberies, the majority would come from black market dealers.  Nick Cages movie Lord of War is an awesome example of how it works, albeit on a grander, more foreign scale.

The other thought is what about the children that find daddy's gun and accidentally fire the weapon. Yes, I know the guns are not to be stored loaded but we all know this happens. I knew a gun in high school who shot his friend through the cheek with his father's hand gun because he didn't think there was a bullet in the chamber. Stuff like this does happen.

now THAT's an awesome point.  Canadian laws addressed that by making it mandatory that all firearms must be stored in a special gun safe.  The ones my brother and father had were tall (about the size of a locker), made of steel and double-locked.  A kid would simply not be able to get a gun out of that...  unless they knew where the key was.  But a key is much easier to hide than a handgun...

But, there are always going to be people that don't follow that law, don't take it seriously or don't understand why it's in place and keep their guns in cigar boxes in the closet.  In those cases, the problem isn't the law, it's enforcement. 

[morgardee]

I knew a gun in high school.....

Did he graduate? ;-)

Gah. You got me. I fixed my post.

For those out there wondering, yes, I managed to graduate even with my fine typing skills.