WS-MCR and the FRT

[Mr Wolverine]

Some customers have asked about the FRT, please see letter from RCMP below:

Good day John:

With respect to your statement: - “If Wolverine Supplies was to manufacture a semi auto center fire rifle in Canada with a 19 inch barrel I assume we could simply go ahead and market her without your inspection as there is no legal requirement to have an FRT”.


1. For the purposes of the FRT, I would like to draw a clear distinction between the “manufacturer” who makes all components from “scratch” including the receiver and barrel and is not just an assembler of components with metal working, metal finishing and woodworking skills, which accurately describes the average “gunsmith”. The former is a “manufacturer”, the latter is not.

2. I presume that Wolverine (the business entity) in the hypothetical statement above, and their supply chain have all the required licences and authorities.

Then the answer is YES, BUT the manufacturer assumes full responsibility for assuring accurate classification of the firearm and accessories such as stocks and cartridge magazines.

Be aware that other regulators may require an FRT Record for their purposes.

Regards.

Bill Etter

F.A. William (Bill) Etter
Chief Firearms Technologist
Specialized Firearms Support Services
Firearms Investigative and Enforcement Services Directorate
RCMP-CFP
Specialized Policing Services

[ShawnC6]

Makes perfect sense.

[SceptreStart]

I asked about the FRT in your other thread yesterday.

My only question would be the legal definition of "market". My legal understanding is that market, when used as a verb means to advertise or promote, not to sell. In that case the letter you posted would mean you can advertise and promote a firearm with no FRT. It does not say anything about selling it.

noun
1.
a regular gathering of people for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock, and other commodities.
"farmers going to market"
2.
an area or arena in which commercial dealings are conducted.
"the labor market"

verb
advertise or promote (something).
"the product was marketed under the name “aspirin.”"

[Mr Wolverine]

I asked about the FRT in your other thread yesterday.

My only question would be the legal definition of "market". My legal understanding is that market, when used as a verb means to advertise or promote, not to sell. In that case the letter you posted would mean you can advertise and promote a firearm with no FRT. It does not say anything about selling it.

noun
1.
a regular gathering of people for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock, and other commodities.
"farmers going to market"
2.
an area or arena in which commercial dealings are conducted.
"the labor market"

verb
advertise or promote (something).
"the product was marketed under the name “aspirin.”"

I think you need to look at the intent of the question and the fact that the FRT is not a legal requirement and has no legal standing. It is the opinion of Government employee's, nothing more.

Please feel free to reword the question and submit it yourself if you require additional clarification.

[Thunderhog]

[copeland]

I think you need to look at the intent of the question and the fact that the FRT is not a legal requirement and has no legal standing. It is the opinion of Government employee's, nothing more.

Please feel free to reword the question and submit it yourself if you require additional clarification.

Quoting this.

I learned something today.

[arketh]

The FRT in general is one of those interesting things.

There's no requirement under the firearms act or criminal code that requires the RCMP in any capacity to determine the classification of firearms. The Criminal Code outlines what criteria must be met for restricted and prohibited firearms, with all others falling into the non-restricted category.

However, the RCMP have found it useful to have a resource table of firearms information, to help identify and classify firearms to aid them in their work. This in itself isn't a bad thing. Simple information such as this is a great thing to collect and use as a standardized reference.

As having done so, they've become the recognized "experts" in the field, so for instance, the Canadian Border Services Agency relies on their work to be able to determine the classifications of firearms being moved through the borders, rather than determining it in house with their own people. Their use of the FRT is in a Memorandum Memorandum D19-13-2, and while it states "will be used as a reference tool" it is in fact treated as the only source of information. Which is not bad in theory, but in reality means the RCMP are the ones who get to classify everything, without that being something that they're mandated to do.

So it's become necessary to have an FRT to import or export, not through regulations, but by how government agencies work.

As Canada is primarily an importer of firearms "waiting on an FRT" is seen as an absolute requirement of bringing something to market, particularly as few Canadian manufacturers wish to shoulder the burden of "manufacturer assumes full responsibility for assuring accurate classification".

[JaredP]

I respect that you are exercising your rights as a domestic manufacturer to determine your own classification.

Here is to hoping more domestic manufacturers grow a pair.

[QYV]

Without an FRT what governs the formal identification of a firearm? To put it another way, what would stop me from just "changing the name" of a firearm from WS-MCR to anything I want? Is the name required to be permanently affixed to the receiver by the manufacturer like a serial number? Does the name of a firearm even matter?

[Mr Wolverine]

Without an FRT what governs the formal identification of a firearm? To put it another way, what would stop me from just "changing the name" of a firearm from WS-MCR to anything I want? Is the name required to be permanently affixed to the receiver by the manufacturer like a serial number? Does the name of a firearm even matter?

You raise some very good questions? I am not a Lawyer so I will decline from answering them, I am sure some others will offer their opinion.
Does an FRT formally ID a firearm? That is a very good question, by what authority? The FRT is only that, a Referance table! Not a legal document. I wish it was, then we would have enforceable standards, time lines, accountability and a formal appeal process.
As I remember things, and I must warn you my memory is not as good as it once was, it is a criminal offense to deface a serial number but I don't think there is any mention about changing a manufactures name. To correctly ID any firearm you need make, model and serial number.
. The make and manufacture may differ ie Make is Colt but Manufacture could be Remington or Ithaca, with a 1911A1 change the slide and you may have changed the manufacture but not the serial number. Could the FRT correctly ID such a gun? All I can say with certainty is this is a real can of worms, with a lot of incorrect advice offered.

If half the people here can not understand this, how do you expect our MP's to? Or even the average LE officer?