PAL Application:Part C-Personal History

The issue is not so much depression as whether you threatened or attempted to harm yourself or anyone else. Merely having suffered from depression (or bipolar disorder) is not a bar to a PAL/RPAL. If it were, half the country would be ineligible (but maybe that's what the Man wants).

See, for example, the following document that was produced by the privacy commissioner as a result of complaints about the rather intrusive questions on the R/PAL application.

http://www.priv.gc.ca/information/fr_010813_e.pdf

The actual wording of the relevant guideline is :
... has been treated for a mental illness ... that was associated with violence or threatened or attempted violence on the part of the person against any person.

These questions are pretty stupid because any psychiatrist will tell you that s/he is not in a position to predict who's going to go postal or suicidal, and the only good predictor of who's going to be violent is a violent past (which the RCMP would already know about.)

Also, borgnine, assuming your wife is your current conjugal partner, she can't be your reference.
 
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Sorry to dig up an old topic, but during the process of your background check by the CFC is it possible for them to pull up your Health Canada records and see if you are indeed seeing a Psychiatrist and are regularly prescribed anti-depressants, or would that violate privacy laws ?

My doctor said he was never called by the CFC for any information on patients regarding their depression, but has been sent forms to fill out if any of his former patients applied to the armed forces.
 
Preparing to apply for my PAL card, reading over the Application I notice a question in;

Part C: Personal History 6.c) Re: Being diagnosed in the past 5 years as depressed.

I have met with doctor in the past 5 years, and have been taking a prescription medicine that is commonly prescribed to treat depression. I am in the process of coming off my prescription with my doctors approval.

My question is, by checking "YES" to Part C: 6.c), will this prevent me outright from obtaining my PAL, or will it simply lead to more thorough questioning by the RCMP?

I suppose a doctors note explaining my current situation, along with his support of my decision to come off the medication would be a good item to obtain ahead of time.

Just curious.
Amazing community you have here.

Thanks
Mauser


Check YES and do whatever they ask.
My brother has been diagnosed with depression and I wouldn't want him to own a gun. If I were a reference for him I would tell them the same thing.
Although all cases are different. Case by case.
Do the right thing.
 
The issue is not so much depression as whether you threatened or attempted to harm yourself or anyone else. Merely having suffered from depression (or bipolar disorder) is not a bar to a PAL/RPAL. If it were, half the country would be ineligible (but maybe that's what the Man wants).

See, for example, the following document that was produced by the privacy commissioner as a result of complaints about the rather intrusive questions on the R/PAL application.

http://www.priv.gc.ca/information/fr_010813_e.pdf

The actual wording of the relevant guideline is :


And I'm not telling you to lie on a government form, but some people consider these kinds of questions to be none of the government's business and answer accordingly. Just make sure your references are on the same page.

These questions are pretty stupid because any psychiatrist will tell you that s/he is not in a position to predict who's going to go postal or suicidal, and the only good predictor of who's going to be violent is a violent past (which the RCMP would already know about.)

Also, borgnine, assuming your wife is your current conjugal partner, she can't be your reference.

My guess is that you don't have anyone close to you that has been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder or depression.
And no that would not make "half the country" ineligible.
 
My guess is that you don't have anyone close to you that has been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder or depression.
And no that would not make "half the country" ineligible.

MY guess is that you are not familiar with the literature on this. The cumulative prevalence of depression in this country over just 7 years is 19.7% according to one recent study I read (Patten et al, BMC Psychiatry, May 8, 2009). It's an incredibly common illness. So, fine, a fifth of the country then.

As to the question of whether the RCMP has access to provincial health records, boy I hope not. This is one good reason to oppose electronic health records.
 
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Got a registered letter from the CFO, requesting a release of my medical records, and a letter from my Dr.
I have a feeling I'm going to get screwed :(
 
Sorry to hear that, Borgnine, but thanks for confirming that the government will ask for unfettered access to your personal medical records (which, of course, will go into your RCMP file for anyone to look at) if you tick that box.
 
Got a registered letter from the CFO, requesting a release of my medical records, and a letter from my Dr.
I have a feeling I'm going to get screwed :(

####ty deal, BUT, wouldn't you be fine as long as your Dr. writes a nice letter stating that everything is all fine, and you don't pose a threat to yourself or others?
 
s**tty deal, BUT, wouldn't you be fine as long as your Dr. writes a nice letter stating that everything is all fine, and you don't pose a threat to yourself or others?

Yes, I would! I have a very good relationship with my Dr. and there's no reason he wouldn't, at least that I can see. But as we all know, people can be "funny" about the subject of guns....

But it's out of my hands, so there's no point in worrying, is there?
 
Glad I found a thread relating to this even if it is an old one. This issue has been on my mind lately.
I'll be applying for my PAL very shortly. A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with depression, which is being dealt with satisfactorily with medication and dietary changes.
I never had psychotic episodes or was suicidal. Also, my wife is one of my references, which I hope will weigh in my favour.

I plan to check "yes" on the application (with explanation on another page, as required).
If my application is rejected, yes I will be disappointed, but at least my conscience will be clear and I won't have to worry about having lied about my application.

??In ontario you're not not allowed to use your wife as a reference. She can however be the guarantor on your id photo. Other family members can be a reference. I used my father inlaw.
 
??In ontario you're not not allowed to use your wife as a reference. She can however be the guarantor on your id photo. Other family members can be a reference. I used my father inlaw.


My bad.....
Yes, she's a guarantor on the ID photo, not a reference.
The point I was trying to make (very badly) was that if she wasn't on-board with the idea, she wouldn't have been a guarantor.
 
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Update!

Checked the database yesterday and it says "Issued":p, so it's just a matter of time before it's in my hot eager hands....The paperwork was hung up in my Dr.'s office for about a month. Two weeks waiting because the Doc wanted to talk to me first (fair enough, I think, because I had never mentioned anything about firearms to him before), then another two weeks before the letter was actually issued. I didn't raise too much of a stink stink because

A) I thought that maybe someone's tumour or difficult pregnancy was just 'slightly' more important than my PAL, and

B)a firearms permit is probably not something one wants to appear in a hurry to receive.

Anyway, I picked up the glowing letter of recommendation from my Doc, and fired it off to the CFO via registered letter.....

Soon I'll be able to pick up the CZ 455 American with Leupold 2-7x28 scope that I put a deposit on a couple of weeks ago! :dancingbanana:
 
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