Traveling to Canada for vacation

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Don't even mention guns when going to Canada

Canada border patrol folks must be trained to be severe and without humor. Just answer their questions and don't try to be
friendly or funny. Maybe that's just Canada West (aka Ontario)?
No tolerance for guns, or gun owners. Avoid the topic.
No way will you take a handgun to Canada.
I too was asked if I owned guns back home, and answered truthfully that I did. Bad call, shoulda lied. Got grilled about why I owned guns, and how many I owned. Not fun.
Nearly got in trouble for asking agent if that was their business, what I had back home. No radar detector either, and I was just passing through to shortcut to NY. Came home below Lake Erie, and will next time too.
 
And that goes for Europe, South America, the Caribbean, the Pacific island nations and on and on. This phobia of "If I can't carry a gun there, I'm not going" really is silly and could almost border on grounds to give the antis a reason to take your guns; life is too short to lock oneself away in the house with a gun loaded at the door "just in case there is a break-in"

I'd say restricting myself to the USA is a little different from restricting myself to my house, but think what you like, it matters not to me.

I'm a senior and know at this point I will never see everything I want to see in our country. Plus return to many places I've been to and enjoyed. I've had family go to Canada for weddings and comment that everything is higher priced than here.

For the record, I have French and Irish ancestors who originally immigrated to Canada and subsequently to the USA.
 
About 1982-83 I was working a bankruptcy fraud case with organized crime connections in Colorado. Investigation led to Pennsylvania, then New York, with no problems in either state with me (Colorado peace officer) carrying while working there (prior notifications to the New York Attorney General and Pennsylvania State Police).

Next jump was to Montreal. I made inquiries in advance and was informed that Canada would not permit a US officer to possess a handgun while pursuing a criminal investigation there. Made arrangements in New York to ship my handgun back to Colorado, then proceeded to Canada. Provincial police authorities provided every assistance including two officers to accompany/observe, a vehicle for my use, and office space with telephone and clerical help.

Great people, but they are very serious about their firearms laws. It is their country so we must respect their laws.
 
Hi. I'm the OP. I just wanted to clarify that I was inquiring about if it was possible to legally bring my revolver with me on my vacation to Canada. I do a fair amount of camping, often in bear country, and I have had a fair amount of close encounters with bears. I like bears and hope to never shoot one but if the situation ever presented itself where a bear was going to harm us, I would like to have the option of defending my family with my gun. I am a knowledgeable and safe and legal gun owner who practices to keep my skill level up. I have only been to Canada once before in my life. Just a couple day trip to Vancouver more than 40 years ago when I was a young man. Until I asked my question on this forum I had no idea about the level of oppression and lack of freedom our good neighbors to the north, the people of Canada, are subjected to. I appreciate all the good answers, some humorous, from the members of this forum that made it clear that I can't bring my revolver on my vacation to Canada.

The founders of our nation, in their wisdom, realized that gun ownership by the free citizens of our nation was so important to preserve that freedom that they guaranteed it in the Constitution. It is so important that after they listed the freedoms to which we are entitled in the First Amendment, such as freedom to assemble, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, with the very next amendment, the Second Amendment, they granted us our right to bear arms to protect ourselves and our families and our nation from despots who would take our freedoms away.

If you don't belong to a group such as the NRA or other group which is active in trying to preserve our right of gun ownership, I implore you to please join right away. Surely you can see the dangerous and misguided movement in our country to take our guns away. Organizations like the NRA are all we have to preserve the Second Amendment and help us keep our guns so we are not out there shivering in our tents, terrified of the bear lurking outside. It doesn't cost much to be a member of the NRA. Honestly the very entertaining magazine they send you is worth the price of the membership.
 
I'll probably get slammed hard for this one, but here goes:
For the record, I prefer our system of government over Canada's. With that said, they read the news also...they learned about Virginia Beach as soon as we did. They learn about all the mass shootings here as fast as we do. So I can at least understand why they act as they do when we cross the boarder. We cant even keep our own crazies under control, so what makes anyone think their not going take every step possible to keep them out of their country? Can you really blame them?
 
Talk to TSA agents sometime and you'll find out how many of our fellow citizens, almost 20 years after 9/11, still "forget" that they carry a knife or other implement when trying to get through airport security, or aren't aware they can't bring one.

And that's just a few carefully packed bags. A camper truck or RV magnifies the issue many times.

I suspect the Canadians collect guns rather frequently from folks who forget what's in the vehicle, are oblivious to the rules, think they don't apply to them, or believe themselves to be clever enough to get away with it.

As for the rules themselves, in the US through a unique set of circumstances, most importantly a Revolution, we have secured rights that others have not. I exercise the right to carry every day and wherever legal. But if you won't go places you want to go because you can't take a gun, even though millions live there happily without, your freedom has become a leash.
 
I'd say restricting myself to the USA is a little different from restricting myself to my house, but think what you like, it matters not to me.

I'm a senior and know at this point I will never see everything I want to see in our country. Plus return to many places I've been to and enjoyed. I've had family go to Canada for weddings and comment that everything is higher priced than here.

For the record, I have French and Irish ancestors who originally immigrated to Canada and subsequently to the USA.

And what all of that have to do with not going anywhere because you can't be armed?
 
I think foreign citizens can still get pistol permits in South Africa, but that's the ONLY place I've heard of where it's legal. And with the changes in government there, even that may now be impossible. Check with your professional hunter or if not hunting, call their embassy or get hold of someone you know who'd know.

Some years ago, gun writer Massad Ayoob and his daughter carried there while hunting and I've read of others doing so.

Crime is quite high. Carjackers almost got Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters when she was Miss SA before winning Miss Universe 2017. I've heard her tell several times how she struck one thug in the throat and ran for her life...in six-inch heels.

Citizens in a few countries, like Belgium, the Czech Republic, and maybe Switzerland can sometimes get carry licenses, but those are limited to their citizens.Otherwise, unless you're attending an organized shooting match, forget taking a gun and study their knife laws, too.

Personally, I have no desire to visit either Canada or Mexico. BTW, British Columbia is probably the most likely place to be attacked by either a bear or a cougar, And not even citizens can carry a gun unless in hunting season.

Antigunners like to claim that Canada is much safer than the USA. But I've read that if you adjust figures for their smaller population, crime is similar. Vancouver, B.C. has quite a drug problem, I think.

Actually, you'd better not carry even a camp axe up there without being sure it's legal.

I'm sure that Tim Horton's serves good donuts. I'm staying home and getting mine from Krispy Kreme!

Oh: I think I've just figured out how to carry a legal handgun in Canada. If you're a US fighter pilot working for NORAD ops and fly over Canada to chase Russian aircraft away from them, your issued sidearm is probably legal...I hope!
 
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Gun ownership per capita is actually quite high in Canada, certainly in the top 10 in the world. Yet they don't seem to have the mass shooting issues that we have here. I wonder what it is South of the 49th parallel that makes us so uptight.
 
My hubby had made several hunting and fishing trips to Canada, the last one was 2 or 3 weeks after 9-11. Talk about paperwork! 3 guys, 2 dogs, numerous shotguns and ammo. All packed into a F350 crewcab pulling a 15 foot cargo trailer. Their paperwork was all in order and correct but still had to unload everything. That was his last Canada trip.
 
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