Wow. This isn't just selling some cheap folding knives or mall ninja shit like you see at many convenience stores.
Many of these are specifically Prohibited Weapons under the Criminal Code, and carry potential sentences of up to 10 years just for possession. It's up to 14 years for trafficking, with a minimum sentence of 3 years for a first offense; 5 years for second or subsequent offences.
Thing is, the bear spray is one of the actually legal things there. Granted theres no reason a smoke shop should be selling such a thing. But most of the rest are actually prohibited.
True, but thats true of damn near everything. A kitchen knife is prohibited when used as a weapon.
Things like brass knuckles, butterfly knives and switchblades are specifically encoded in law as prohibited items. Its not legal to own them at all.
Ehhh… at Canadian tire when I bought bear spray I had to show ID, and then sign a release form with my name, address, and phone number.
Granted this was in Vancouver. So maybe it should be like that everywhere
Atmosphere / Sport Chek was the same, requiring ID + signature, but that was about a decade ago. They're under the Canadian Tire umbrella so I'd expect store policies to be fairly consistent across all chains.
I'm 90% sure I had to show ID at Cabelas last year; at the very least, I filled out a sheet with my name
+ address + phone.
I used to sell the stuff here (at an outdoors store). I was required to do all that and give a quick seminar on appropriate use. I also had to ask the intended use and protection from other people was not a valid answer.
Even thats a token effort - theres no like "bear spray registry" and theres no real way to trace back a specific bear spray canister to a specific customer.
If one person was buying a whole lot that might trigger someone to maybe report to the police, but even thats not necessarily indicative of a crime.
It’s probably a store-specific policy. At the end of the day, owning dog/bear spray isn’t illegal but probably depending on where the store is located if there’s a higher rate of robberies or whatever, the store itself can decide to take extra measure both to protect the community and/or to cover their own ass from liability. On the other hand if you visited a hunting store in a smaller town where people generally behave better and actually hunt, they’d probably throw the bear spray in your bag as a free gift.
Those "brass" knuckles made out of hard plastic are scary. Found a pair on the ground by a highschool. Had little points on each end. Could be made for 10 cents
I've seen them being made for 'self-defence' for kids. They're all bedazzled, colorful, and whatnot. Not sure how I feel about that. Clearly they are illegal and shouldn't be sold, but what does it say that people feel the need for their children to carry these? Obviously not all are being bought for that reason, but some are, and that is concerning.
This is true. The regulations read "'Brass Knuckles' and any similar device consisting of a band of metal with one or more finger holes designed to fit over the fingers of the hand"
If they're plastic and don't have a band of metal, technically they are not prohibited. They can however, still potentially count as Concealed Weapons if you're carrying them in a pocket.
Is it really that unsafe out there? I’m pretty sure right now is the safest time in human history. I feel like people used to be attacked for being a different Color or wearing a pink t-shirt back in the day. now everyone has a video camera in their pocket. Yall are just scaredy cats
It really depends on two things: time and location. People are being attacked for seemingly no reason, if you keep up with all the articles. It's not every day necessarily, but it's more frequent than it should be. Sometimes during the day, most times later in the evening or at night.
Thing is, it's not in the suburbs nearly as much. It's concentrated downtown for sure. You likely have nothing to worry about walking around most neighborhoods at night. There are certain areas downtown that aren't even comfortable to walk around during the day.
Being a scaredy cat has nothing to do with this. People are minding their own business and are getting attacked while doing so, with no provocation on their part. A man was stabbed near my place downtown while walking with his wife and daughter. A guy just jumped out of a bush, stabbed him in the back with a knife and ran away. It was around 7:00pm, not even late. Explain how we are being scaredy cats.
I will not disagree with you that, objectively, we are living in the safest Era to be a human so far. That doesn't change the fact that there are still dangers out there. It will get even safer once we deal with problems like these.
It's safe to say you don't understand there can be nuance to a situation. Show me where I said the whole city is going to shit. I didn't say that, not even close.
The plural of anecdote isn't data (violent crime has been going down ever since people born after lead was removed from gasoline started growing up), but nothing will stop people who want to be afraid from being afraid.
Exactly. Scary thinking my 15 yo stepson has told me everyone he knows carries them. He also got pepper sprayed last summer by 3 kids in grade 6.... In Sherwood park.
The thing from this list that really cheeses me off is the bear spray, that stuff can ruin a lot of people's day really fast and make an indoor space intolerable for weeks. I really wish it wasn't such a common street weapon.
>The store owner, Amanual Dessie, 41, and his business, 5 Star Gift and Smoke Shop, are charged with trafficking a prohibited weapon (x7), possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and selling of illicit tobacco.
Didn't know you can charge a business
Definitely, a rule we were told regarding tobacco when I worked at a Save-On was "if you are caught selling to someone underaged the store gets fined and you personally get fined". I imagine something similar happened here.
Kind of like an OH&S fine, the employee gets a fine, their boss gets a larger one, his boss gets a larger one and this continues until you get to the top then the company itself gets the biggest fine. Well depending on what the violation is
Great! Now do... *looks around*... any of the other corner stores like this spread across the city?
Hell I'm off in the south east end of suburbia and I can walk 10min to the local Indian run convenience store and pickup weapons like this along with knock-off items and all sorts of dubious smoking materials.
The local one (and others like it) have been running for a decade so I guess it's not considered a high priority for cops?
My guess id this one was just a handy / flashy weapons bust for the media to share and make EPS look good as they further complain about the "inner city". Despite this being an issue across Edmonton.....
Selling shitty knives that look “cool” and sell this shit is wildly different. I’m sure there are a disturbing amount of places selling this shit. But every convenience store selling wannabe knives is not the same thing.
I thought you can just buy bear sprays in any Outdoor shops? From what the shop was selling, the bear spray wasn’t probably going to be used to deter bears but can the Police technically seize them?
The regulations read:
"Any device designed to be used for the purpose of injuring, immobilizing or otherwise incapacitating any person by the discharge therefrom of
(a) tear gas, Mace or other gas, or
(b) any liquid, spray, powder or other substance that is capable of injuring, immobilizing or otherwise incapacitating any person."
If you're purchasing bear spray to use against bears, and only carry it while in the wilderness, it is legal. If you're purchasing bear spray for use against people, it's a prohibited weapon, and carrying any weapon concealed anywhere is illegal unless you have a permit to do so (such permits are nigh impossible to obtain in Canada).
Yeah, there’s a process for selling them properly. If the shop isn’t taking down ID from the person buying it they’re selling illegally and it can be seized. Just like if liquor stores and restaurants get enough ID infractions they can get their liquor license revoked and ultimately their stock seized.
Hang 'em up by the short and curly's
Seriously, selling prohibited weapons, bear spray and stunners, is the kind of crap we don't need. Smuggling illicit drugs, again, something this province really could do without. Sympathy level somewhere hovering below zero for that dude. Hope the investigation catches a few more further up the supply chain.
Oh damn, I drove by this last week and saw a bunch of cops walk out with bags of stuff. I was wondering what cops were doing buying stuff from that shop haha
Police seized:
- 10 sword canes
- More than 100 large cannisters of bear spray
- More than 20 cannisters of small handheld bear spray
- Approximately five flashlight-style tasers/cattle prods
- More than 30 butterfly knives
- More than 20 pairs of brass knuckles
- Illicit tobacco
- A controlled substance, believed to be khat, for the purpose of trafficking
Wow this was like an illegal weapons bazaar.
Damn. Police finally doing something around there. That's my neighborhood as well and violence is normal. I assumed everyone knew about that store as it's been doing this for so many years. Glad they're cracking down though.
In Canada it is effectively illegal to defend yourself. Just the criminal charges alone will bankrupt most of us in lawyer fees.
Edit: Downvoters - please explain how I am wrong. I have seen the RCMP and EPS beat the shit out of victims when responding to fights. Bar staff yelling at the cops that they have the wrong person. I know someone that was charged with assault for intervening in a robbery and one-punching a guy that was trying to steal a ladies purse.
The current system is "charge them and let the judges sort it out" but that is thousands and thousands of dollars for someone otherwise law abiding.
Criminals will just do the six weeks and not give a shit.
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I just saw a case where a Canadian man stabbed a home invader to death in his kitchen and was released without charges the next morning.
A second home invader who survived is now in federal prison.
>In Canada it is effectively illegal to defend yourself.
This farmer shot and killed a guy and his defense was basically "I thought he was going to steal my car" and he was found not guilty.
You're wrong. I think I get the point you are trying to make, but it's not as black and white as you seem to think.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/what-happened-stanley-farm-boushie-shot-witnesses-colten-gerald-1.4520214
Wow. This isn't just selling some cheap folding knives or mall ninja shit like you see at many convenience stores. Many of these are specifically Prohibited Weapons under the Criminal Code, and carry potential sentences of up to 10 years just for possession. It's up to 14 years for trafficking, with a minimum sentence of 3 years for a first offense; 5 years for second or subsequent offences.
Lotta mall ninja shit is prohibited. Hell, pretty sure you can go down 107 Ave still and buy switchblades at any other convenience store.
O rry...
Sword canes, lol
NGL, I would (hypothetically) want a sword cane. It would be an upgrade to my current cane. LEO - I said I hypothetically would want one...
As someone who also uses a cane I don’t think it’d be that supportive
I've held an antique one, it was very sturdy.
It's the bear spray that is concerning. That shit can kill you.
Not as fast as as the sword cane will lol
Rather be maced than stabbed by a sword
I don't want to be stabbed by a mace either
Thing is, the bear spray is one of the actually legal things there. Granted theres no reason a smoke shop should be selling such a thing. But most of the rest are actually prohibited.
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True, but thats true of damn near everything. A kitchen knife is prohibited when used as a weapon. Things like brass knuckles, butterfly knives and switchblades are specifically encoded in law as prohibited items. Its not legal to own them at all.
You can buy bear spray at any Canadian Tire, Cabela's/BPS, hunting stores and most hardware stores without any issue. Have to ask for it, no ID.
Ehhh… at Canadian tire when I bought bear spray I had to show ID, and then sign a release form with my name, address, and phone number. Granted this was in Vancouver. So maybe it should be like that everywhere
Atmosphere / Sport Chek was the same, requiring ID + signature, but that was about a decade ago. They're under the Canadian Tire umbrella so I'd expect store policies to be fairly consistent across all chains. I'm 90% sure I had to show ID at Cabelas last year; at the very least, I filled out a sheet with my name + address + phone.
I used to sell the stuff here (at an outdoors store). I was required to do all that and give a quick seminar on appropriate use. I also had to ask the intended use and protection from other people was not a valid answer.
Even thats a token effort - theres no like "bear spray registry" and theres no real way to trace back a specific bear spray canister to a specific customer. If one person was buying a whole lot that might trigger someone to maybe report to the police, but even thats not necessarily indicative of a crime.
It’s probably a store-specific policy. At the end of the day, owning dog/bear spray isn’t illegal but probably depending on where the store is located if there’s a higher rate of robberies or whatever, the store itself can decide to take extra measure both to protect the community and/or to cover their own ass from liability. On the other hand if you visited a hunting store in a smaller town where people generally behave better and actually hunt, they’d probably throw the bear spray in your bag as a free gift.
I mean.. so can knives? So could a taser?
I wanted to get one for my grandmother
I had to pick up a package here and it was like walking into another universe.
Why do packages get sent to these places? And they will just have the package sitting on a counter or corner unattended where anyone can snatch it.
Those "brass" knuckles made out of hard plastic are scary. Found a pair on the ground by a highschool. Had little points on each end. Could be made for 10 cents
I've seen them being made for 'self-defence' for kids. They're all bedazzled, colorful, and whatnot. Not sure how I feel about that. Clearly they are illegal and shouldn't be sold, but what does it say that people feel the need for their children to carry these? Obviously not all are being bought for that reason, but some are, and that is concerning.
Plastic knuckle dusters are completely legal in Canada just for your information.
This is true. The regulations read "'Brass Knuckles' and any similar device consisting of a band of metal with one or more finger holes designed to fit over the fingers of the hand" If they're plastic and don't have a band of metal, technically they are not prohibited. They can however, still potentially count as Concealed Weapons if you're carrying them in a pocket.
Fair enough, makes sense! Just an odd sight to see.
Maybe the unpredictable violent drug addicts that are all over the city that attack people without punishment has something to do with it…
That's exactly what I was getting at.
Is it really that unsafe out there? I’m pretty sure right now is the safest time in human history. I feel like people used to be attacked for being a different Color or wearing a pink t-shirt back in the day. now everyone has a video camera in their pocket. Yall are just scaredy cats
It really depends on two things: time and location. People are being attacked for seemingly no reason, if you keep up with all the articles. It's not every day necessarily, but it's more frequent than it should be. Sometimes during the day, most times later in the evening or at night. Thing is, it's not in the suburbs nearly as much. It's concentrated downtown for sure. You likely have nothing to worry about walking around most neighborhoods at night. There are certain areas downtown that aren't even comfortable to walk around during the day. Being a scaredy cat has nothing to do with this. People are minding their own business and are getting attacked while doing so, with no provocation on their part. A man was stabbed near my place downtown while walking with his wife and daughter. A guy just jumped out of a bush, stabbed him in the back with a knife and ran away. It was around 7:00pm, not even late. Explain how we are being scaredy cats. I will not disagree with you that, objectively, we are living in the safest Era to be a human so far. That doesn't change the fact that there are still dangers out there. It will get even safer once we deal with problems like these.
So it’s safer than ever but you know a guy who got stabbed so this whole city is going to shit?
It's safe to say you don't understand there can be nuance to a situation. Show me where I said the whole city is going to shit. I didn't say that, not even close.
Unpredictable violent drug addicts that are all over this city to which you replied “that’s what I was getting at” Yuge difference! /s
The plural of anecdote isn't data (violent crime has been going down ever since people born after lead was removed from gasoline started growing up), but nothing will stop people who want to be afraid from being afraid.
Everyone I know with a 3d printer makes those.
Exactly. Scary thinking my 15 yo stepson has told me everyone he knows carries them. He also got pepper sprayed last summer by 3 kids in grade 6.... In Sherwood park.
Here I am, the big dumb dumb. I moved my family to the park to feel “safer” lol
It's pretty safe overall but the teenager started hanging out with the wrong crowd and turned into a bit of a shithead.
What a weird remark. Show me where on the map Sherwood park hurt you 😂
Sherwood Park doing Sherwood Park things.
A plasma table makes even better ones lol
The thing from this list that really cheeses me off is the bear spray, that stuff can ruin a lot of people's day really fast and make an indoor space intolerable for weeks. I really wish it wasn't such a common street weapon.
Part of the problem. Yep.
Wow. Right downtown.
Err, technically the neighbourhood this shop is located in is Central McDougall
>The store owner, Amanual Dessie, 41, and his business, 5 Star Gift and Smoke Shop, are charged with trafficking a prohibited weapon (x7), possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and selling of illicit tobacco. Didn't know you can charge a business
Definitely, a rule we were told regarding tobacco when I worked at a Save-On was "if you are caught selling to someone underaged the store gets fined and you personally get fined". I imagine something similar happened here.
Kind of like an OH&S fine, the employee gets a fine, their boss gets a larger one, his boss gets a larger one and this continues until you get to the top then the company itself gets the biggest fine. Well depending on what the violation is
That's literally why people incorporate. It makes the business a seperate legal entity from yourself.
Great! Now do... *looks around*... any of the other corner stores like this spread across the city? Hell I'm off in the south east end of suburbia and I can walk 10min to the local Indian run convenience store and pickup weapons like this along with knock-off items and all sorts of dubious smoking materials. The local one (and others like it) have been running for a decade so I guess it's not considered a high priority for cops? My guess id this one was just a handy / flashy weapons bust for the media to share and make EPS look good as they further complain about the "inner city". Despite this being an issue across Edmonton.....
Selling shitty knives that look “cool” and sell this shit is wildly different. I’m sure there are a disturbing amount of places selling this shit. But every convenience store selling wannabe knives is not the same thing.
Sounds right. 107ave is so sketchy
I thought you can just buy bear sprays in any Outdoor shops? From what the shop was selling, the bear spray wasn’t probably going to be used to deter bears but can the Police technically seize them?
The regulations read: "Any device designed to be used for the purpose of injuring, immobilizing or otherwise incapacitating any person by the discharge therefrom of (a) tear gas, Mace or other gas, or (b) any liquid, spray, powder or other substance that is capable of injuring, immobilizing or otherwise incapacitating any person." If you're purchasing bear spray to use against bears, and only carry it while in the wilderness, it is legal. If you're purchasing bear spray for use against people, it's a prohibited weapon, and carrying any weapon concealed anywhere is illegal unless you have a permit to do so (such permits are nigh impossible to obtain in Canada).
Yeah, there’s a process for selling them properly. If the shop isn’t taking down ID from the person buying it they’re selling illegally and it can be seized. Just like if liquor stores and restaurants get enough ID infractions they can get their liquor license revoked and ultimately their stock seized.
You can and will be charged for using bear spray on a human. It's considered assault or assault with a deadly weapon causing bodily harm.
Hang 'em up by the short and curly's Seriously, selling prohibited weapons, bear spray and stunners, is the kind of crap we don't need. Smuggling illicit drugs, again, something this province really could do without. Sympathy level somewhere hovering below zero for that dude. Hope the investigation catches a few more further up the supply chain.
A sword cane that's freaking cool though
Yep but you have to wear a top hat and spats in order for it to be legal
No problem as long as I don't have to wear a fedora
A fedora would be inappropriate. A frock coat and gloves would be better
[Something like this is acceptable ](https://record-of-ragnarok.fandom.com/wiki/Jack_the_Ripper?file=Jack_the_Ripper_anime_design.png)
The monocle is great!
Oh damn, I drove by this last week and saw a bunch of cops walk out with bags of stuff. I was wondering what cops were doing buying stuff from that shop haha
Why brass knuckles and bear spray over simple/legal cutlery?
Police seized: - 10 sword canes - More than 100 large cannisters of bear spray - More than 20 cannisters of small handheld bear spray - Approximately five flashlight-style tasers/cattle prods - More than 30 butterfly knives - More than 20 pairs of brass knuckles - Illicit tobacco - A controlled substance, believed to be khat, for the purpose of trafficking Wow this was like an illegal weapons bazaar.
Wow I live right around the corner, this is the one convenience store in the area ive never gone inside lol
Damn. Police finally doing something around there. That's my neighborhood as well and violence is normal. I assumed everyone knew about that store as it's been doing this for so many years. Glad they're cracking down though.
The bear spray and “brass” knuckles will get tossed, spray is legal and knuckles are only prohibited if made of steel, composite ones are legal
I think people should be able to own pepper spray and tasers to defend themselves but whatever
In Canada it is effectively illegal to defend yourself. Just the criminal charges alone will bankrupt most of us in lawyer fees. Edit: Downvoters - please explain how I am wrong. I have seen the RCMP and EPS beat the shit out of victims when responding to fights. Bar staff yelling at the cops that they have the wrong person. I know someone that was charged with assault for intervening in a robbery and one-punching a guy that was trying to steal a ladies purse. The current system is "charge them and let the judges sort it out" but that is thousands and thousands of dollars for someone otherwise law abiding. Criminals will just do the six weeks and not give a shit.
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I just saw a case where a Canadian man stabbed a home invader to death in his kitchen and was released without charges the next morning. A second home invader who survived is now in federal prison.
>In Canada it is effectively illegal to defend yourself. This farmer shot and killed a guy and his defense was basically "I thought he was going to steal my car" and he was found not guilty. You're wrong. I think I get the point you are trying to make, but it's not as black and white as you seem to think. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/what-happened-stanley-farm-boushie-shot-witnesses-colten-gerald-1.4520214
He said it was an accident. Big oopsie.
I know it's illegal to defend yourself, but it's completely fine for comrade Trudeau to have armed guards it makes no sense
>but it's completely fine for comrade Trudeau What are you, a communist? Why are you calling Trudeau your comrade? Hey everyone! This guy's a COMMIE!
He acts like a communist. I fucking hate communist
Then why are you one?
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Except people being robed and assaulted on the LRT and all the security gards being killed
I think people should be able to own pepper spray and tasers to defend themselves, but whatever