Weapons offences fall into three main categories: prohibited weapons, restricted weapons and other weapons.

The “other weapons” category includes what I call “anything that comes to hand”. The Criminal Code makes it an offence of assault with a weapon to use a knife or a pillow (or anything else for that matter) when striking someone. Of course, the severity is not the same in both cases, but it is important to note that anything can become a weapon under the Criminal Code.

The other two categories of weapons include both firearms and other weapons (such as “brass knuckles” and “nunchucks”, for example). What distinguishes them from the first category are the characteristics provided by law to define them, such as barrel length, magazine size, etc.

Unless you already have some knowledge of firearms and weapons in general, these distinctions may seem complex to the average person. It is important to understand them well before going to court with your file, since the consequences of these offences are generally important. If in doubt, contact me.