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By LegalMatters Staff • Canadians who fear for their safety when they are out in public might be considering carrying a concealed weapon. That would be the wrong decision to make, says Calgary criminal lawyer Vincent Semenuk.
Semenuk warns that anyone found with a weapon – including a handgun, pepper spray, a knife or brass knuckles – could be charged by police and will face a jail sentence.
“If you feel threatened, the best option, when possible, is to call for police assistance,” he says.
A member of Calgary’s Police Service agrees, noting, “If the object that you’re carrying is intended to cause harm to another individual and is not used as a typical tool, then you can be caught and charged with carrying a concealed weapon.”
The maximum sentence is five years in prison. However, if you are charged with possession of a weapon for dangerous purposes, the maximum prison sentence rises to 10 years.
Semenuk says people are allowed to defend themselves but within the limits of the law. He explains there must be a tangible threat and no one can use more force than is “reasonable in the circumstances.”
