Did you know? Canadian Firearms Licences Regulations have a Religious Exception

Did you know that the Canadian Firearms Licences Regulations have a religious exception which allows the applicant to be exempted from the obligation of providing a photo for his or her permit?

You are no doubt familiar with the religious exception 319(3)b) in the Canadian hate propaganda legislation, which the federal government refused to repeal, rejecting out of hand our petition to that effect. Now get acquainted with the religious exception, section 14(2), of the Firearms Licences Regulations. Here it is:

Photographs

14 (1) For the purposes of these Regulations, a photograph of an applicant must be in colour or in black and white and must

1. show a full front-view of the applicant’s head and shoulders and have a plain background;
2. have a view of the applicant’s head that is at least 30 mm (1.375 inches) in length;
3. show the applicant’s face unobscured by sunglasses or any other object; and
4. be signed on the back by the person who, in accordance with paragraph 3(1)(b), 8(b) or 9(1)(b) as the case may be, signs a statement in the application confirming that the photograph accurately identifies the applicant, together with both that person’s and the applicant’s name printed legibly on the back.

(2) An application that is made by an individual who, for religious reasons, cannot be photographed must be accompanied byxx

1. (a) a declaration, signed by the applicant, stating that the applicant cannot, for religious reasons, be photographed; and
2. a declaration, signed by an individual who is of the same religion as the applicant and who is authorized under the laws of a province to solemnize marriages, stating that that religion prohibits the taking of photographs of its members and that the applicant is a member of that religion.