Home › Canadian Case Library › R v Felawka

R v Felawka

The Rifle on the Train

Citation
R v Felawka, [1993] 4 SCR 199, 1993 CanLII 36 (SCC)
Year
1993
Court
Supreme Court of Canada
Province
British Columbia
Charge
Carrying a concealed weapon (then s. 89(1), now s. 90)
Source
Read the full decision

The facts

The Accused spent the afternoon target shooting and was heading home with his .22 calibre rifle. He boarded a train for the trip back. Not wanting other passengers to be alarmed at the sight of a rifle, he wrapped the gun in his jacket so it would not be seen. He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon. The Crown said the section is straightforward: a firearm is a weapon, he knew it was a firearm, and he deliberately took steps to hide it from the people around him. The Defence said the section was never meant to reach a lawful sport shooter on his way home from a range, that the Accused had no hostile purpose whatsoever, and that covering a rifle so as not to frighten commuters is common courtesy rather than criminal concealment.

The court's decision, its reasoning, and how other players voted are revealed when you play the case.

Play today's case

About this library

Every case in GUILTY or NOT? Canada is a genuine published decision. This library carries the facts and the citation for cases that have already appeared in the game, so you can look them up, cite them, or read the judgment in full. The verdict stays in the game. Browse all cases.