Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) has sued the federal government over the Canadian Firearms Act, arguing that the law violates the rights of Inuit hunters. The Firearms Act requires that all guns be registered in a central Canadian database and imposes several restrictions on firearm owners in the name of safety. But NTI claims that what is sensible for southerners may not be compatible with northern culture and arctic realities. For example, a provision outlawing loaded weapons in camp or while traveling would make chance encounters with bears or rabid animals much more dangerous. Also, the paperwork involved in registering every gun in Nunavut would be immense, NTI warns. A temporary injunction has been granted and the case will be heard in the spring.
