There is an overwhelming mentality that gun ownership is an American’s God given right and, while it is their constitutional right, they will not be advised, directed or even considerate of any changes in gun possession laws. Despite evidence proving the contrary the American people believe they are a safer country with firearms, this is emphasised in one of the NRA’s notorious taglines, ‘The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun.’ Gun ownership, however, can be properly regulated as demonstrated by Canada’s gun laws. While guns are not prohibited, the measures taken to ensure gun safety greatly reduce gun related violence as seen on the graph …show more content…
Ensuring that all gun holders have a registered licence, adequate education and training and a genuine manner is the first step in reducing gun violence. In 1990 The Crime Control Act was passed outlining criminal penalties for possessing or disarming a firearm on school grounds. In 1994 the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act imposed a background check and a five day waiting period before an unlicensed person could be sold a firearm. Following this, in the same, year, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act (commonly known as the Assault Weapons Ban) was passed banning the importation of firearms or large capacity magazine clips. Despite law enforcement mass shootings and incidents of gun violence continued to occur all across America with President Obama attempting to make change as recently as 2013. Requirements to obtain a gun are much stricter in Canada while still allowing citizens to bear arms legally. Gun violence in Canada, by comparison, is a third of what it is in America with less than one thousand deaths per year and a declining rate of armed robbery. The measures in place to procure a licence are listed below with America’s requirements listed as a