Firearms And The Experience Of Other Countries

• A review of other countries indicates that Canada is one of many nations that has a comprehensive firearms control program. Major developments have recently occurred in several countries.
• Even though firearms are regulated by individual states and territories, Australia now has uniform legislation that includes the licensing of all gun owners and the registration of all their firearms. Also, Australia has recently banned semi-automatic firearms and shotguns.
• The United Kingdom has a long tradition of strict firearms regulation. The police do not carry firearms unless warranted by special circumstances, and all gun owners must register their firearms with the local police precinct. The massacre at Dunblane recently led its Parliament to further ban all handguns outside of shooting clubs.
• The New Zealand Government has recently announced a registry system for all firearms. This follows a detailed review of firearm regulation, and the input of various experts and practitioners, including the New Zealand Police. The maintenance of a universal registration system was considered viable with new technology. (See the report by Justice Thomas Thorpe, June 30, 1997.)
• The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations passed a resolution on firearms. This followed a resolution by the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, which took into account the results of an international firearms study and the recommendations of an international team of experts. The expert team had observed that the lack of firearm regulation in one country can undermine the regulatory efforts of other countries.
• The above resolution by ECOSOC encouraged all countries to consider: a) regulations on firearm safety and storage; b) appropriate penalties for firearms misuse; c) amnesty programs; d) a licensing system; and, e) a record-keeping system for firearms.
• Several other United Nations initiatives demonstrate increasing concern with firearm regulation at the international level. At the regional level, where Canada has a particularly strong interest, more effective measures against firearm smuggling have become a high priority of the P-8/G-7 countries, and also the Organization of American States.
• The P-8/G7 forum and the Organization of American States have recognized that the unique identification of firearms and the recording of all firearm imports and exports are key to the reduction of transnational firearm smuggling and trafficking.
• The United Nations recently completed a study of firearm regulations in 69 countries representing 74% of the world's population. The study found that many countries have taken similar approaches to the regulation of firearms; for example, almost all countries have prohibited certain types of firearms. The table below indicates basic regulatory elements and key statistics for selected countries.

An International Quick-Reference Comparison*

* United Nations. International Study on Firearm Regulation. United Nations Publication, New York, 1998 . See also Criminal Justice Reform and Strengthening of Legal Institutions - Measures to Regulate Firearms, Report of the Secretary General. Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Sixth Session, Vienna, 28 April- 9 May: 1997 (E/CN.15/1997/CRP.4).

** For Great Britain only.

***A separate fact sheet that directly compares Canada with the United States is available.

Firearms Research Unit
Canada Firearms Centre
April 1999