r/canadaguns • u/DiscussionGlum1754 • Aug 16 '26
News / Politics / Activism Do you think they will ever stop the freeze on handguns?
Not really too informed aside that the law was implemented back in 2022 when I couldn’t even get my license. (Parents wouldn’t let me lol) But all I know is that I’ve loved handguns since I was younger and always wanted to own one but year by year losing hope to have one added to my collection.
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u/Consistent_Animal_70 Aug 16 '26
Is it a ban? Or a freeze? A freeze seems to imply that its temporary
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u/Flat-Dark-Earth Big Bore Specialist Aug 16 '26
They’re hoping handgun ownership dies off in Canada through attrition.
Wouldn’t be surprised if the Olympic exemption is cancelled soon.
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u/Traditional_Bank2200 Aug 16 '26
“We want to provide aspiring Canadian athletes with the resources they need to represent Canada in all future Olympic Games. Everyone except you pistol shooters - please crawl into your nearest hole and die so we can finally send the RCMP to your door.”
- LPC probably
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u/King-Moses666 Aug 16 '26
It was a freeze on transfer papers. Which got written into c-21 as a ban on the sale and purchase of handguns. Many people refer to it as a “handgun ban” which is just not true. If you already legally owned one, you can continue using it as normal. You can just no longer obtain new ownership papers.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 Aug 17 '26
Yes you can for 22LR with an exemption. You can also import from the USA.
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u/King-Moses666 Aug 17 '26
Yes there are exemption situations people are currently able to do. Example employee’s for companies such as Brinks where a handgun is used in their work can also get exemptions. Just was stating the law in its most basic form with no exemptions.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 Aug 17 '26
Neither. You can get an exemption for a 22LLR handgun anytime and import one or even two from the USA so not sure what you mean by a ban or freeze. If you want a 1911 or Glock you can get one anytime. 22LR is the only calibre used for Olympic discipline sports shooting and also the only one suitable for affordability and training.
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u/Many-Presentation-56 Aug 16 '26
I mean Conservative party voted and adopted the official policy of implementing the Simplified Classification System (SCS) and review-rewriting the Firearms Act.
This would effectively reverse all gun bans even going back to name bans from the 90’s anything thats semi-auto would be legal by default, including handguns.
Granted they would need a majority to do it. Does that mean they’ll do it? Who knows
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u/Plumbercanuck Aug 16 '26
Nope.... the gta has been brain washed into thinking that guns cause crime, not the person behind the gun.
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u/jmz-jmz Aug 16 '26
I dunno, I think some non-gun enthusiast people are starting to wake up to the fact that almost all gun crime is done with illegal guns…Toronto Police chief has been pretty outspoken about it. Not to say there aren’t still a lot of dummies, but the buyback program has sort of helped to put the spotlight on how silly all of this is.
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u/Stevko_1 Aug 16 '26
I was surprised to hear Olivia Chow say that 80-90% of guns come from the USA when asked about a recent shooting. So who knows what's going on
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u/captaingeezer Aug 16 '26
Plenty of gun owners in the gta.
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u/Plumbercanuck Aug 16 '26
Yes but not enough. Plenty of gun owners outside of the gta.
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u/captaingeezer Aug 16 '26
What the fuck are you even talking about?
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u/Duckriders4r Aug 16 '26
? Always has been. So many, in fact, there are multiple ranges across the city......
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u/JaxIsLoud Aug 16 '26
I'd just like to see IPSC and some other sports get recognized for exemption like bullseye has. The government is killing the sport off. If we could get federal recognition of these sports and exemption for the use of handguns in these sports I'd call it a win.
Also be nice if we could get an exemption for pistols for preditor defence while hunting. Its annoying we can take them out to shoot in crown land but at least let people carry them for protection. Bear spray is great until the bear has the wind at its back and now you get to season yourself for it.
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u/MindYourOpSec Aug 16 '26
I believe IPSC is actively lobbying the IOC to have their disciplines recognized as olympic shooting sports. If they’re ever successful, we’ll be able to get centrefire pistols under exemption.
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u/Eglitarian Aug 16 '26
Presumably at least PCCs as well, for three gun.
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u/JaxIsLoud Aug 16 '26
The issue with PCC's isn't the same. They are all bar the homesteader for some reason banned. Pistols is a freeze on transfers. Unfortunately PCC won't come back unless OIC gets overturned or new legislation
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u/JaxIsLoud Aug 16 '26
How can we help support that effort? Feel like that lobbying should have something the community can do to help push for it.
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u/theborealethos Aug 16 '26
What about CAS? Cowboy Action Shooting is being made extinct in Canada.
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u/One_Salary_9068 Aug 16 '26
Nop.. when you lose a right.. its gone.. Bye.. Ciao.. Astalavista 🤌🏼
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u/rearg1 Aug 16 '26
Do you think they'll ban the Carmel?
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u/Senior_Mail4090 Aug 16 '26
Eventually yes.
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u/rearg1 Aug 16 '26
I don't really need another gun but I may just get it before they ban it. My only semi auto is sks and homesteader.
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u/GodsGiftToWrenching Aug 16 '26
I mean might as well. Eventually everything will be banned, pump action shotguns will become weapons of war (see WW I & WWII) hunting rifles will become sniper rifles, and lever actions will become artifacts of colonial injustice, they'll figure out a way to ban pert near everything so you might as well buy them and have fun with them while you can
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u/Duckriders4r Aug 16 '26
True. But after WWIII, that's the cycle. You just said so right? But...that's already starting. So there's that...But we're at the 1933 part of WWIII. so, if you survive that, and the depression afterwards. You'll have a different perspective perhaps?
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u/floppy_breasteses Aug 16 '26
If the conservatives win next time, maybe. Slim chance but possible. Another liberal term and I'd wager they're just gone.
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u/COBETCKNNcoyuz Aug 16 '26
I can see a world when LPC becomes United Russia for Canada
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u/Curious_Joe2020 Aug 17 '26
You mean China.
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u/COBETCKNNcoyuz Aug 17 '26
Nope. China is a one party state from the start written in there constitution. Canada is more like Russia, where there were technically several parties in parliamentary politics but people default to vote for that one party due to media coverage, and they are practically in power forever.
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u/K0bra_Ka1 Aug 16 '26
Slim to none. Would be very difficult for even a conservative majority to pass that legislation in the court of public opinion
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u/julienjj Aug 16 '26
Easier to add another exemption for shooting sports and do the full circle. Since rpal was for that in the first place.
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u/lee--carvallo Aug 16 '26
This is the most realistic scenario. Submit proof you belong to an appropriate club and there you go. I could also see them allowing open carry of large-bore revolvers in remote areas without the need to apply for an ATC. That would be a pretty easy sell
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u/TimeNefariousness802 Aug 16 '26
Probably not as others have said. Too many regular non gun owning folk still group us together with the real criminals with guns.
I’ll probably go bankrupt the day the ban is lifted though lol
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u/PinkLincoln00 Aug 16 '26
The long gun registry was created in 1995 and abolished in 2012 and still has not returned.
I don’t believe the regime will ever allow a conservative government again to make such a change, but you never know.
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u/grandfundaytoday Aug 17 '26
Quebec kept a copy (against the law) and implemented their own registry based on it.
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u/PrestigiousStatus711 Aug 16 '26
I really doubt it will happen. Canadians don't care. You'll have to move to a country where people value freedom.
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u/theborealethos Aug 16 '26
I moved to the US, it’s better than Canada in some respects and worse in many others. Big trade offs.
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u/IAMURBUNKLE Aug 17 '26
How so?
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u/theborealethos Aug 17 '26
Have you ever spent 40 hours a month in traffic, merely commuting to and from work? Not counting errands, not counting going out, just driving to and from work.
Food quality is worse, as a result people are unhealthy.
Everyone is incredibly atomized, not that people in Canada are not, but it is a vast difference from the parts of Canada that I have lived in; Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
The fact that health insurance is linked to people’s employers means that people tolerate worse working conditions than Canada and there is not the same level of social mobility here. In Canada people would often quit a job they don’t like, in the US there is more reluctance to, with many people working jobs they hate for years and years because they don’t want to be uninsured or deal with the hassles of COBRA.There is also a highly partisan split between left and right that is downright volatile, as a result there is little if any nuance, people are either team red or team blue and if you are not supportive of either faction you basically get forced into the opposing camp, even if you don’t agree with that camp.
Performative religion and cult of the personality grifting, especially pronounced after the murder of Charlie Kirk.
Very little true appreciation for the outdoors, many people will drive to a parking lot at a state or national park, take a picture but not do any trekking. Now this rule doesn’t apply to every American as there are quite a few who enjoy the outdoors but they are in the minority.
Also, as much as I appreciate constitional carry and an easier access to firearms, the non existent barrier to entry when it comes to firearms ownership results in more accidents and killings, I literally almost witnessed a guy getting ventilated by an idiot with an M&P shield at a public range once. Also the widespread circulation of firearms means that I am armed everywhere I go, be it the grocery store or campus or work or out for a hike with my family.
There are also lots of truck guns getting stolen and then circulated among criminal elements, a lot of people will sometimes leave a rifle with a plate carrier or a shotgun in their vehicle. This is also compounded by the theft of CCW pistols; apparently the parking lot at Hartsfield Jackson airport is possibly number one source of stolen firearms in the country; people have to board a flight, they don’t want to drive through ATL unarmed so they leave their gun in their car and it gets stolen. One thing Canada does right in my opinion is the firearms safety course lessens the instances of people being killed or injured by accident.
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u/fyfnw 28d ago
One thing I've always said, Canada shouldn't remove our licensing system. I'm just shocked that people STILL don't think that is enough considering all hoops we jump through when in the US they have none of it.
I've been to ranges in the US and I feel significantly less safe than ranges in Canada.
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u/Thereal_Stormm006 Aug 16 '26
That’s what I intend to do. I’m moving to the US in a couple of years & I’m not coming back. Enough is enough.
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u/GoGetInvolved Aug 16 '26
It's possible. It isn't a total ban and lots of people still have handguns, so you still have a group of people advocating for it. All they need to do is allow registration certificates to be issued again. People are pessimistic because we've been demoralized for so long but that doesn't mean things won't get better. They have in other places. You have to keep fighting for it.
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u/fyfnw 28d ago
100%. If you accept it, then it will never change. Keep supporting the CCFR. They are the only ones with the balls to stand up and fight in court.
You have to get politically engaged. As far as I'm concerned, I'm a single issue voter and my vote is up for sale. Any political party that commitments to unfreezing handguns gets my vote.
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u/looloopklopm Aug 16 '26
Go git yourself a blowback c02 pellet pistol and LIKE IT
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u/SlowDebate3165 Aug 16 '26
Liberals tried to ban airsoft lol. Pellet gun's (especially pistols) days are numbered.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 Aug 17 '26
Which you can't use anywhere within many municipalities and not at the range either.
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u/ManWithAChainsaw Aug 16 '26
I find the handgun freeze extremely ironic. They want to ban "weapons of war". So that leaves people without a handgun looking for legal ways to get around that freeze. Sure you could join a club but what about rural folk who want to shoot on their own land?
You look for guns from before 1898. Most of those are military issued firearms (in my experience these ones are of good quality compared to average civilian ones).
Therefore, by trying to get rid of weapons of war, they've left people with little choice than to seek them out.
As for the freeze ending, very unlikely.
If I was in power and knew lifting the freeze was a major gamble, I'd still try it.
But first, I would amend the antique status of handguns so that any firearm designed from 1898 and before could be reproduced and still qualify as an antique. To make the anti-gun lobby happy, the reproductions would require a pal to purchase but remain treated as an antique. Then we could all have c96 mausers. And everything would be lovely once again.
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u/theborealethos Aug 16 '26
I totally concur about amending the antique designation to pre-1898 designs.
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u/Dizzy-Wedding5769 Aug 16 '26
It would bring too much attention to the antique hobby it’s already oversaturated.
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u/RoundBottomBee Aug 17 '26
The Lee Enfield lineup has killed more people than AKs and ARs, combined. But, you know, wood.
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u/boozefiend3000 Aug 16 '26
Maybe. But it won’t be like before. Probably be some bullshit where you have to prove you’re in a sport and compete every month to be allowed to keep that license stipulation. This country is shit
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u/Curious_Joe2020 Aug 17 '26
Once you have the gun it's much harder to take it away so they will try to prevent new purchases and transfers, especially from the USA, while they order all the new USA made Glocks they want!
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u/Debilitationate Aug 16 '26
It's no longer a just a "freeze," Bill C-21 received royal assent a while back, meaning it's been codified into actual law. The only way to go legalize pistol sales again is to amend the criminal code. As others have mentioned, the best chance of this happening is with a majority conservative government, but that could be years away with the topic fading into obscurity.
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u/Spydude84 Aug 16 '26
If the CPC gets a majority, maybe. If not, we aren't getting anything besides more bans.
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u/Western_Wish4280 Aug 16 '26
Bro you are worrying about the handguns to get unfreezed and here i am worrying every single day if my sks is gonna get the hammer or not.
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u/fyfnw 28d ago
They would have done it already if they could. For some reason, *cough* *cough*, they don't seem to have the balls ban that particular model.
Maybe there is a defense strategy there that we should be using?
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u/Western_Wish4280 28d ago
Yeah, you are right, but what if they ban it for non indigenous people like me. We get fucked
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u/fyfnw 28d ago
Defense in depth. It can be one of many strategies... but it can't be the only strategy.
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u/DougMacRay617 Aug 16 '26
You will never see handgun ownership any less restricted in this country than it currently is. Its a harsh reality we must face. Downvote away.
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u/Weak-Coffee-8538 Aug 16 '26
They did this because of Marco M and the PM scandals.
And in light of a shooting in another country which makes no logical sense.
This was all political theatre and that's it.
Carney will face many scandals but Trudeau pretty much used up "ol faithful" distractions.
I think video game censorship is next. Nanny state 2.0.
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u/DougMacRay617 Aug 16 '26
While non of that is false, that was all just the reasons they used to justify their actions. The goal is to disarm the population, by any means necessary.
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u/PermissionSafe2183 Aug 16 '26
Ur sadly right people are hoping for a miracle, almost completely impossible at this point I’ve accepted it lol
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u/Ok-Bowler-203 Aug 16 '26
I wish I didn’t sit on my ass for years (while going to the range with friends) before getting my PAL.
Should have did it when they got theirs 30 years ago!
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u/Davidflair97 Aug 17 '26
Lol the quebec healthcare system owes me 700 000$ CAD for ruining my life for 7 years and not even counting how much they owe me for my guns and my wrestling career....
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u/JustACanadianGuy07 Aug 16 '26
Unless the liberals fuck up so hard that conservatives get the majority, its gone forever
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u/Saskatchewan-Man sk Aug 16 '26
Maybe Poilievre will cross the isle and shit the Liberal's bed this time?
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u/Hopeful_Relation_441 Aug 17 '26
no, as we align more with china. i believe they will get worse
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u/fyfnw 28d ago
That's an idle threat from Carney. The US won't allow it. Look at how the trade "negotiations" have been playing out. Carney folded like a cheap suit.
Maybe that is something we should leverage. Convince the Americans to have Canada be a more significant market for their firearms companies, and open up the market to them by removing all the bans. ;) Use the trade war to our advantage.
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u/Hopeful_Relation_441 28d ago
funny you say that i had a smith and wesson before the ban.... i needed something from their customer service line.. lady pretty much told me to f myself as i was in canada.... when i said something about boycotting the product... she said the state of ohio consumed more firearms than canada did annually
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u/fyfnw 28d ago
Well... I don't doubt that. Like at all.
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u/Hopeful_Relation_441 27d ago
toronto and Quebec are gunphobic so unless it starts to mess with this seat count i dont think he will care
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u/Chirps_Ahoy18 Aug 17 '26
They'll go one more and add them to the oic and confiscate those. That'll happen when they ban the sks as well.
When Carney calls a snap election and the liberals win again because Canadians are too stupid to vote correctly. We'll lose almost everything.
Probably 2027 2028, just before the US election.
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u/Rusty_Stahlhelm Mod's Alt. Account Aug 16 '26
No. As long as Lie-berals stay in power it's not happening. Even then you would need CPC to get a majority gov to repeal C-21 that made the handgun freeze ban permanent in law.
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u/Reighzy Aug 16 '26
It's not even that simple. Even with a majority, politics are at play. You need to make decisions that make sure people don't swing in the other direction next election. So just because Conservatives were against the ban in the first place, doesn't mean they're willing to go all the way to repeal C-21 as there will be backlashes (even if just sunk cost falacy). All media will be all over it based on what gets the clicks.
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u/MourningWood1942 Aug 16 '26
I think we might have had a chance last election, but it’s gone now. I don’t think anything is going to change in a positive regarding firearms in general even if conservatives win majority next election.
I really really really hope I’m wrong, but by then issue of gun control will be so minuscule compared to other issues for the average Canadian. Probably be in wartime with China and in a Great Depression or something.
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u/Johnny-Unitas Aug 16 '26
Even if the conservatives get a leader who has a chance of winning, it won't happen.
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u/zetagundam12 Aug 16 '26
At the moment I think we're more likely for the handgun freeze to magically end 😅
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u/Velosity79 Aug 16 '26
Unfortunately, we’re surrounded by too many brainwashed, elbows up assclowns in this country. Heck, this very firearms community is chock full of them!
There is ZERO hope for firearm owners in "Canada"
…as the 51st state, ABSOLUTELY! 🇺🇸
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u/Spyrothedragon9972 Aug 16 '26
I have no idea. But I just bought a Tisas 1911 "Stakeout", CZ 75 SP-01, Beretta 92FS, and a 2022 FN "High Power" in Florida.
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u/fyfnw 28d ago
You keep in Florida I assume? How does that work?
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u/Spyrothedragon9972 28d ago
Yea, absolutely they stay in Florida. I'm a dual citizen and have a home in Canada and Florida. And my better gun collection lives in Florida for obvious reasons.
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u/fyfnw 28d ago
I was thinking of doing that but I don't think snowbirds can purchase firearms.
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u/Spyrothedragon9972 28d ago
You sure can. The requirements you must meet are:
Be a legal permanent resident of Florida (having a Florida driver's license and meeting the requirements to obtain one should suffice).
Being able to fill out ATF Form 4473 in a satisfactory manner (which should also mean passing a background check via the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Firearm Purchase Program, which checks state and federal criminal, mental health, and substance abuse databases).
Being 18+ to purchase long guns and 21+ for handguns. There is a 3 day waiting period before you can take handguns home (excluding weekends and holidays) unless you have a Florida concealed weapon license (CWL).
If you meet the requirements to purchase a handgun in Florida, you also meet the requirements to conceal carry a handgun in Florida. You do not need a CWL to carry a concealed handgun. But having one is not a bad idea for a multitude of reasons.
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u/burnttoast14 Aug 16 '26
It will not be a priority to reverse once the conservatives get back in power
If they were to reverse it on the first list of stuff they have to do. It would be a pretty bad look .
so expected to happen not anytime soon if it even does….
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u/Clover_Lawn_4440 Aug 16 '26
There is NO political advantage for ANY politician to reverse the freeze or bans
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u/conanap Aug 17 '26
IMO, there’s no chance it will happen. I know people are saying the cons previously undid some gun legislations, which is true, but can you imagine that press conference?
“Why are you reverting gun legislation targeted at reducing shootings like Nova Scotia’s?”
The question is fundamentally wrong, but until the public catches up education wise on this topic (and let’s be real here, that won’t happen), that’s the perception the cons will have to fight to repeal it. Good luck getting a second government.
Gun registry was not fundamentally a means that affected ownership in any capacity - repealing it made no difference. The cons could not survive repealing legislation making handgun ownership difficult.
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u/Curious_Joe2020 Aug 17 '26
You can get an exemption for a 22LLR handgun anytime and import one or even two from the USA so not sure what you mean by a freeze. If you want a 1911 or Glock you can get one anytime.
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u/Thereal_Stormm006 Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
If we could repeal C21 & all other gun laws since Confederation & replace them with Swiss/Czech-inspired gun laws that restores our once-great gun culture while doing a better job at keeping communities safe, most of Canada would get behind it (except for the absolute hoplophobes , they’re a lost cause).