When did Canada ban firearm suppressors/silencers/sound moderators?

[u/Noah_S_Schwartz]

Hi all. I am a researcher who does work on Firearms Policy. I am working on a policy paper to advocate for legalizing suppressors (as is the case in New Zealand, the UK, and most of Canada's peer countries in Europe).

I'm trying to figure out exactly when Canada banned firearm suppressors, and it's proving more difficult than I thought.

Most commentary or news sources trace the prohibition to the "early 1900s" but don't reference any laws, acts, or statutes - or even a specific year. I have checked the 1919 and 1927 editions of the criminal code, and can find no reference to a ban. It's not until the 1953 edition that Section 84 lays out a clear prohibition.

I've also searched through newspaper databases from that period (Globe, Citizen & Gazette), and the Parliamentary Hansard.

It's clear I'm missing a piece of the puzzle, but I can't seem to find it. Thus, I turn to the great collective wisdom of Reddit.

Any information or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[u/o2pb]

I'm pretty sure "early 1900s" was just a made up number, as it first appeared in the 2017 petition response: https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/ePetitions/Responses/421/e-575/421-01700_JUS_E.pdf

Any device intended to muffle the sound of a firearm has been unlawful in Canada since the early 1900s. Sound reduction or elimination diminishes the public’s ability to react to gun violence and makes it harder for law enforcement to become aware of a possible criminal incident.

Then, popularized by legalbeagle, quoting the date from the petition response. I didn't find any mention of a prohibition, or the fact that they were unlawful, pre-1953 criminal code update.

Jody Wilson was probably trying to make a point that it was a "long time", and added a few extra decades to her (silly for a different reason) response.