The Second Amendment (Amendment II) to the United States Constitution is a part of the United States Bill of Rights that protects the pre-existing individual right to possess and carry weapons (i.e. "keep and bear arms") in case of confrontation.[1] Codification of the right to keep and bear arms into the Bill of Rights was influenced by a fear that the federal government would disarm the people in order to impose rule through a standing army or select militia,[2] since history had shown the way tyrants eliminated resistance to suppression of political opponents was simply to take away the people's arms and make it an offense for people to keep them.[3] In District of Columbia v. Heller (June 26, 2008), the Supreme Court ruled that self-defense is a central component of the right.[4]

Originally posted by erwalker
Please don't bother coming to Canada. Your right to bear arms stops at the border. Quite a few Americans have found this out to their chagrin.

Ten Myths About Gun Control

1. �VERY FEW PEOPLE IN CANADA OWN FIREARMS�

Exactly the opposite is true: twenty-nine per cent of Canadian homes possess an estimated total of nine million firearms. Other authorities insist that even this figure is too low, and that there is at least twenty million firearms in Canada. The UN reported that Canada ranks third among the developed western countries (behind the United States and Norway) in the civilian ownership of firearms.

2. CANADIANS WANT MORE RESTRICTIVE �GUN CONTROL� LAWS

On the contrary: more than 90% of Canadians do not believe that stricter �gun control� laws are a solution to violent crime, and two-thirds of Canadians believe that passing more severe laws over legitimate gun owners will have very little influence on criminals. Eighty-eight per cent of Canadians favour severe penalties for crimes involving firearms; only 8% favour increasing restrictions over existing firearm owners. Eighty per cent of Canadians do not support the confiscation of firearms from legitimate gun owners. Ninety per cent of Canadians believe that citizen compliance with mandatory firearm registration will be minimal. Two-thirds of Canadians believe that using a firearm in self-defence is justified. Support for more �gun control� dramatically decreases after the Canadian public is informed about existing firearm laws.

Canada's tough new gun control law, which took effect Jan. 1, 2001, requires individuals to obtain licenses to posses or purchase either guns or ammunition. By Jan. 1, 2003, registration of all guns in Canada will be required. The Firearms Act regulations apply to the importing, exporting, possession, use, storage, display and transportation of all firearms, and are in effect across the country.
Under the Canadian Firearms Act, the three classes of firearms are:

1. Non-restricted (most ordinary rifles and shotguns);
2. Restricted (mainly handguns); and
3. Prohibited (full automatics, converted automatics, handguns with a barrel length of 105 mm (approx. 4") or less, and .25 or .32 caliber handguns among others).

Bringing Guns Into Canada

Prohibited guns, or replicas of prohibited guns cannot be taken into Canada. No exceptions.

To bring a Restricted gun into Canada, you must be 18-years of age or older and acquire an Authorization to Transport (ATT) from a provincial or territorial Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) before you arrive at the point of entry into Canada.

To bring Non-Restricted guns into Canada, you must be 18-years of age or older, declare your guns at your first point of entry, complete a Non-resident Firearms Declaration form in triplicate, have it confirmed by a customs officer and pay a $50 (Canadian funds) fee.