The majority of Canadians would support an outright ban on the civilian ownership of possession of handguns, with significant support for proposals to strengthen the licensing and purchasing process.
That’s according to the latest Angus Reid public opinion study released today.
The results are at odds with a recent online survey conducted by the Government of Canada which found that four in five Canadians did not believe more should be done to limit access to handguns or assault weapons, while the Angus Reid survey found nearly the opposite.
Angus Reid chocks that up to methodological differences.
Not surprisingly, rural and urban respondents have different concerns when it comes to gun use and safety. 48 per cent of urban respondents say gang activity is their biggest concern, while in rural areas the main worry is accidental shootings and suicide.
Among respondents who own guns, the vast majority say they’re used for hunting followed by recreational shooting.
75 per cent of those who responded would consider a ban on assault rifles.
The full survey results can be found here.
METHODOLOGY:
The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from April 26 – 30, 2019 among a representative randomized sample of 1,525 Canadian adults who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes only, probability samples of these sizes would carry a margin of error of +/- 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.
Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. The survey was self-commissioned and paid for by ARI.