Selected List of Items that are NOT Weapons

The following is a sample list items that are NOT weapons, since they were not designed as instruments to inflict bodily harm. As a result, one need not answer yes to the weapons question if he is in posession of any of these items AS LONG AS THE INTENDED USE IS NOT TO HARM OR THREATEN TO HARM A PERSON. If a subsequent search of your property turns up, for example, a machete, and the customs officer asks why you lied in regards to the offensive weapon question, you simply state that you did not lie. You explain that you assumed that the customs officer was asking the question based on the criminal code definition of a weapon, since that is the only definition of weapon the CCRA can legally use.Thus, The machete is simply a tool.

Of course, if you later claim the machete IS for defence, then you ARE guilty of lying to deceive Customs Officers, and your weapon (by intended use) can be confiscated for failure to declare

Sample of non-weapon items

• machete
• brush hook
• fish knife
• pocket knife
• buck knife
• hunting knife
• meat cleaver
• carving knife
• axe
• hatchet

NOTE: If you express your intent to use any of these items to harm or threaten to harm any individual, under the Canadian Criminal code, they become weapons, and as such could be banned at the whim of the Customs Officer.

Of course, the Customs Officer could chose to ban the item even if a legitimate, non-weapon purpose for posessing the item is given.

One should be aware that ANY item becomes a weapon if it is used or intended to be used to cause harm or threaten to cause harm to a person. Such items could include a baseball bat, 2 by 4, hammer, golf club, Eskimo Carving (Jean Chretiens preferred weapon), hat pin, cast iron frying pan etc etc etc. ANY such item could be banned as a weapon, once its intended use makes it a weapon.

Remember, if the Officer bans an item for entry, insist that he confiscate it, do NOT voluntarily abandon it.

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