Quote:
Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden
Legally purchasing a gun is prohibitive. you take an 11 hour course, written and practical exam. Then you apply get background checks ect.
The issue that not everyone in the household has to have a PAL. So a mentally ill child can access them provided the parent isn't securing their guns properly.
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I took the restricted and unrestricted courses last month. It's difficult to legally acquire a firearm from start to finish, and quite frankly a huge hassle to maintain your firearm license without f'ing up at some point. Especially unrestricted firearms (handguns). That is assuming the person follows all the rules, processes and safety measures. It's challenging to own a gun legally and maintain your status as a legal firearm owner in Canada, as it should be.
The problem in most cases likely comes down to improper storage. Keeping the ammo and firearm in separate hard-to-access storage containers/rooms can be a challenge. It has to be enough to impede someone trying to access/steal it without authorization, but someone with enough will and motivation can do it if they know where they are located.
It was also conveyed in the course that if have someone in the household going through a mental health crises or any kind of life event that could cause them to retrieve the firearm to do harm to themselves or others, you should remove it completely from the household and reconsider having it in the first place. We don't know the dealings of how this person acquired it or what was happening at home, but as mentioned in the post I am quoting, having an unsecured firearm and a person going through whatever they went through is a terrible mix and can have disastrous consequences.