introduced in the Criminal Code. In 1913 it became a criminal offence to sell or distribute .
firearms to anyone under 16 years old. Government finally recognized that children .
should not have possession of a firearm. Until 1934 firearm registration was rarely an .
enforced offence. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police kept records of those purchasing .
firearms. Handguns had to be re-registered every five years starting in 1939. It also .
became an offence to alter the serial numbers on guns as records were kept and gun .
transactions were being monitored. 1951 was the next step in gun control legislation .
having automatic fire guns added to the list of firearms that were to be registered. A list .
to categorize firearms as 'restricted weapons' and 'prohibited weapons' was created in .
1968, ("History of Firearms"", 2000). By this time police were allowed to search .
and seize firearms with a judge issued warrant or if they had reasonable grounds that the .
safety of the public was at risk. On August 5, 1977 Bill C-51 was given royal assent. .
This bill imposed stricter penalties for those convicted of an indictable offence where a .
firearm had been used. Bill C-51 also created the requirement of a Firearms Acquisition .
Certificate (FAC) to properly screen those purchasing guns and to keep records of .
firearms purchased. A FAC had to be renewed in order to purchase more guns. This .
allowed the government to declare who was able to own a gun. The early 1990's .
brought on stricter gun control laws. Bill -17 came into force between 1992 and 1994. It .
saw many reforms in licensing firearms, FAC screenings, and harsher penalties to those .
convicted of crimes involving firearms. FAC applicants had to provide identification and .
two references, have a background check, go through safety training, and then to wait 28 .
days to receive their FAC. This was the strictest gun control law to date in Canada, until .
Justice Minister Allan Rock and the Chretien government introduced Bill C-68 in 1995.
