Offensive Weapons

When one approaches a Canada Customs checkpoint, one sees a large sign that states that All Persons entering Canada must declare all firearms and weapons. Firearms is clear enough, but what exactly IS a weapon?

The Criminal Code states that a weapon is:

(a) anything used, designed to be used or intended for use in causing death or injury to any person, or

(b) anything used, designed to be used or intended for use for the purpose of threatening or intimidating any person

Thus based on the Criminal Code of Canada definitions, ANY item in your posession with the declared intent to use it to harm or threaten to harm a person IS a weapon.

However, items the CCRA might chose to consider to be weapons are NOT weapons unless you declare them to be.

Thus it is important to declare as weapons only those items that are DESIGNED to be weapons.

As off September 11 2006, a machete is still NOT a weapon unless used or intended to be used as a weapon, and in our opinion, does NOT need to be declared.

• Table of Contents