Do Americans believe we do not own guns in Canada?

37 comments

1. You sure ask a lot of questions asking for reinforcement of your beliefs that some Americans are dumb.

2. No. I went to college with a few Canadians (mostly from Alberta) and they all had guns at home. Rural areas in both countries have high firearm ownership rates given the popularity of hunting, sporting rifles, etc.

3. I think it’s a result of Canadians saying American criminals run guns over the border when a firearm murder occurs in your country, thus alluding to the idea that you don’t have any firearms whatsoever. It suggests that Canadian criminals wouldn’t be able to obtain guns were it not for Americans.

4. From my experience, at least online, Canadians would be more likely to believe this than Americans. I’ve always thought of Canada as the closest thing to the US in terms of gun ownership.

5. I think most American gun owners believe Canadians can have some types of firearms for hunting or game control in rural settings. However they also understand that pretty much any firearm practical for self defense purposes are illegal in Canada.

6. Didn’t your government ban all pistols? (Or close to all of them) and you can’t even use them to defend yourselves. Don’t you guys also need to register guns?
   We know you can own them, but practically all of your laws would be unconstitutional here.

7. > A lot of us own guns.

   Until someone commits a murder with one then no one owns up to it and Canadian news paints a picture of gun running from the US

8. I’m sure some people think that but I know Canada has guns but I’m not sure the exact specifics of Canada gun law and restrictions are. I know a lot of people go there to hunt elk and deer and many of the First Nations people have diets that include hunted meat especially in areas that are often covered with snow much of the year.

9. No. But a shit ton of Canadians that come here seem to think you don’t

10. I hear this from self righteous Canadians all the time.

11. I’ll be honest. The “percentage of Canadians who own guns” is something I have given zero thought to in my years on this Earth.

12. I don’t think about Canada period

13. I don’t know anything about Canadian gun culture, but my assumption is that gun ownership must be pretty normal in rural areas.

14. Most Canadians I know will straight up tell me guns are illegal in Canada. Honestly, I don’t know shit about Canadian firearm laws, but I always thought say that was weird since I assume you hunt. Also, I know they carry guns in the northern region so you don’t get completely fucked by a polar bear.

15. Asking bad faith questions and using ‘lol’ as punctuation. I am gaining an opinion that Canadians are just stupid.

16. I barely keep track of gun laws in other states, why would Americans care about Canadian gun laws?

17. Americans are absolutely aware that you can own guns in Canada, whether or not this is what you want to hear is another issue.

18. I don’t think most Americans think about guns in Canada, much less care about them.

19. We are well aware that Canadians own guns, especially in the far North.

    That being said I can see why some would think otherwise. Whenever something gun related comes up on Reddit, there’s always a Canadian that says “We’re nothing like our dumb Southern cousins! No gun problems here in Canada, it’s impossible!”

20. We are aware Canadians own guns, but we are also aware that you do not own them to the same extent as the US, firearms are not as ingrained in your culture as much and we are constantly seeing news about legislation widdiling away at what you still have.

21. Yeah, but you can’t own the cooler ones anymore.

22. Most Americans don’t give Canadian laws much thought. I’d wager most Americans also do believe Canadians own guns. That said, Americans who are big into the 2A community, are aware of what Trudeau has been doing up there. We have heard his 2020 assault weapons ban. We have heard his bill C-21 / handgun statements. We have heard him say Canadian’s do not have a right to own a firearm for self defense purposes. We know Canadians have guns, we just see the direction Trudeau is pushing things.

23. can’t speak for everyone but as for me i am aware you own guns

24. I don’t believe that

25. American who spends a lot of time in Canada.

    Honestly I don’t think most Americans care enough about what happens in Canada to have particularly strong opinions on this topic. Some might have inaccurate stereotypes about Canada or falsely believe that guns are illegal in Canada or whatever, but who cares what they think?

    Also I have been grilled about guns by Canadians who seem to think that gun ownership is a uniquely American thing. Asked if I own guns, how I feel about gun regulation, etc. Seems Canadians care more than we do on this subject.

26. As a Canadian I can tell you none of my friends or family own a gun … and I lean right.

27. Y’all put it out there like y’all don’t, it’s the perception you give. I know you have guns for hunting and the like, but alot of other countries have that as well.

28. As an American gun owner, I have spent about 3 seconds thinking about guns in Canada (the time it took to read this and think about responding).

    I don’t make any assumption that Canadians DON’T own guns. Why would I?

29. I’m aware Canadian gun laws are not as draconian as some people might believe, but generally speaking Americans stereotype Canadians as a very peaceful people who don’t typically own firearms.

    Another issue is that (typically terminally online) non Americans like to immediately insert themselves into our gun control debate any time there’s a shooting in the United States.

30. On behalf of all Americans, we don’t care.

31. I mean have you taken a look at the new gun laws Canada passed in the past 5 years? It goes almost just shy of criminalizing firearm ownership and cumulatively bans most common firearms.

32. I mean you can “own guns” a similar way Californians can “own guns”. You don’t have none but you’re not the same as America.

33. I think people that are super into guns are all or nothing kind of folks. I live in Mass. We have gun laws. You can still get guns. But people state they will never move to a place like this because it’s not *as* simple to get guns.

34. It was my understanding that the Prince of Canada actually owns all the guns and then permits the citizenry to use them.

35. I have heard, “We don’t have guns in Canada” from Canadians far more than Americans.

    If Canadians themselves are telling Americans this, it’s natural that some Americans would be confused.

36. Whenever the topic is of Canada, like 90% of Americans just don’t really know or care. It isn’t a personal slight against Canadians, and it is not indicative of American ignorance. Canada just isn’t very relevant for most Americans in their day to day lives. It’s like how 90% of Canadians don’t know anything about Australian states, or Australian gun laws, or whatever – it isn’t a slight against Aussies, it’s just that Australia just doesn’t factor in to the day to day.

    Out of the population of the US that cares and/or is exposed to Canadian gun culture – most are hunters, and know that Canada is rich with game. So they know we can have guns. But they also represent the slim minority.

    I think it’s common knowledge in the US that Canada has more restrictive gun control legislation, but almost no one but die hards really care about the details.

37. I’m American and I believe y’all own guns, Arm & Gun is A Canadian who makes these YouTube videos about guns. There is also Canadian Classics.

    And we agree with you guy that the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been infringing on your rights.