Latest / Legal Issues In Policing
E101| No magazine, no problem. Handgun still an operable 'firearm'.
Provide your feedback here. Anonymously send me a text message.
In this episode, Mike discusses the Supreme Court of Canada decision R. v. Donawa, 2025 SCC 10 where police found a handgun in a driver’s fanny pack during a roadside stop. The police sent the handgun for testing, but did not send the magazine or the ammunition found in it. A trial judge ruled the handgun was NOT a firearm — as defined under s. 2 of the Criminal Code — because it required special expertise, considerable time, and a part not readily available to make it operable. The Ontario Court of Appeal overturned the trial…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.