I grew up in rural Alberta, where firearms were part of everyday life. Rifles were used for hunting and target shooting, but never treated casually. From a young age, we were taught that firearms demanded respect, discipline and responsibility.

That upbringing shaped how I later approached firearm ownership. When I decided to purchase a restricted firearm for target practice, I entered one of the most regulated civilian licensing systems in the country.

Before applying for a Restricted Possession and Acquisition Licence, I completed the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course. The training included classroom instruction, written exams and practical testing focused on safe handling, storage and transport. It took several evenings and a full day and cost several hundred dollars.

The licensing process was extensive. The RCMP conducted background checks covering criminal history, mental health indicators, court orders and substance-related concerns. References were contacted, as were current or former conjugal partners and fingerprints were required to confirm identity. Approval took months.

Ownership did not end with approval. Purchasing the firearm required federal registration and each transport required authorization through the provincial Chief Firearms Officer. I also paid annual membership fees to remain in good standing at a gun club, a requirement for lawful use of restricted firearms. Compliance was constant, documented and costly.

Storage rules were equally strict. Firearms must be stored unloaded, secured with a locking device such as a trigger or cable lock and kept in a locked container, cabinet, safe or secure room that is difficult for unauthorized individuals to access. Ammunition must be stored according to firearm classification, with additional requirements for restricted firearms.

That context matters as the federal government proceeds with its firearms compensation program. Ottawa is offering payment to licensed owners in exchange for surrendering or permanently deactivating firearms that were previously legal. Owners have until the end of March to register, with compliance required by October 2026 or face criminal penalties.

Since 2020, roughly 2,500 firearm models have been added to the prohibited list. The government has allocated nearly $250 million to compensate owners of an estimated 136,000 firearms, describing the program as part of a broader strategy to reduce gun violence.

Statistics Canada data suggests licensed firearm owners represent a small share of firearm-related homicides. A 2022 report found that only 13 per cent of handgun homicides and 12 per cent of rifle or shotgun homicides involved an accused person who held a firearms licence. Where firearm type was known, licensed firearms were rarely used.

Most gun-related crime instead involves unregistered or smuggled weapons, particularly handguns. Gang-related violence, which has increased in recent years, is a major driver of firearm homicides and overwhelmingly involves illicit firearms.

For law-abiding owners, the message is difficult to reconcile. After years of training, background checks, fees and strict compliance, I am now told that property I legally obtained is unacceptable. Through my taxes, I am helping fund the buyback of firearms, including my own, while losing the time and money invested in following the law. Non-compliance risks criminalization, despite no change in my behaviour.

Public safety matters, and firearms policy deserves serious discussion. But effective solutions must distinguish between those who comply with the law and those who operate outside it. Without that distinction, policies risk punishing responsibility while leaving the primary sources of gun violence largely unaddressed.