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America, Keep Your Guns Out of Canada, CBSA Warns

Border agency launches awareness campaign following increase in firearms seizures.

Amanda Connolly 23 Aug 2016iPolitics

Amanda Connolly is a reporter for iPolitics, where this article first appeared.

The Canadian Border Services Agency said Monday it is launching a public awareness campaign to warn Americans not to bring their guns to Canada, after seeing a seven per cent increase in the number of firearms seizures reported by the agency.

In a media release Monday, the CBSA said it wants to remind Americans that Canada and the United States have different gun laws and that travellers bringing guns into Canada without proper licensing – or failing to disclose that they’ve got guns – can face a variety of consequences, ranging from firearm seizures and penalties to prosecution, vehicle seizures and being barred from Canada.

In response to a question from iPolitics, the CBSA said that it’s responding to an increase in the number of firearms it is seizing from travellers at the border.

“In the first six months of 2016, the CBSA has seized 413 firearms. In the first six months of 2015, the CBSA seized 386 firearms,” said agency spokesperson Esme Bailey.

It’s not clear how many of the seizures performed by the CBSA have resulted in criminal charges or further penalties beyond seizure, or whether the number of charges also has increased since last year.

Bailey said the agency would not be able to provide a breakdown of charges stemming from CBSA firearms seizures by end of day Monday.

The campaign comes two years after SkyWest pilot Joshua Petty White pleaded guilty in Calgary to smuggling a loaded Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380-calibre handgun in his carry-on in April 2014.

That case raised eyebrows at the time, since the U.S. Transportation Security Administration confirmed White used his “known crew member” status to bypass the standard security checks during his departure from Salt Lake International airport.

The gun was detected by security officials at the Calgary International Airport when White tried to return as part of the flight crew the next day.

While White was charged initially with eight counts related to the smuggling of the gun, he was fined $4,000 in August 2014 and the other seven charges were dropped.  [Tyee]

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