First of all there is no such thing as an "assault rifle" They are just black semi automatic rifles. The same functioning rifle also comes in brown wood. People that aren't familiar with them think they are bad because that's what the media makes them out to be. Most people ask "why do you even need that, they are not for hunting" Well I use mine to hunt, have a few different ones for whatever I'm hunting. The one I use the most has a flashlight on it so when my dog finds a coon and get into a fight I don't shoot him, I can see and shoot the coon. We also have coyotes around here that spread disease and kill livestock. I have a much larger "assault rifle" I use to kill those, because they are 250-350 yards away. Guns and cars/trucks are very alike, you need one that will meet your needs, you are comfortable with and will get the job done. Tactical rifles "assault rifles" are easily accessorised to meet the needs of comfort and handleabiltity, therefor making it much safer, and fewer accidents.
There is no legislation ever that will take guns out of criminals hands, period. It hasn't worked for guns, drugs, , sex trafficking, alcohol, robbery, ect. Bottom line is even if you took away all guns from everyone, bad people will still do bad things. Being in the fire service I have had hundreds of hours of training for bombs and booby traps set at meth labs. Being in a rural area, guns are very very common. I can think of only 2 cases where someone around here has used them to harm someone else in the last 15 yrs. Fatality car accidents with drunk drivers on the other hand, I see about 3-5/yr not including the ones with serious injury. Take away guns, they'll blow people up or stab them. Bad people are bad people.
It is legal to own guns in Canada. You need an Firearms Acquisition Certificate which includes a police background check. This means you cannot just walk into a store or gun show and buy one, but it does allow you to buy one (actually up 3 or 5 or something, IIRC). It only allows you own guns meeting certain parameters (long guns, no full auto, a few others I think), but that's all most gun owners up here really need since they are mostly hunters, farmers (for removing vermin) and such like. Handguns are restricted and require special permits and additional checks. Guns must be secured and unloaded when stored or transported. I am quite happy with this regime as, it seems to me, it hits a fairly happy medium between gun owners rights and society's need to control a dangerous item. If we can license drivers and take that license away if they f-up badly, why can't we do the same for gun owners?
