[28] The firearms offences involve possession of a prohibited weapon and must be denounced in the clearest terms. It was noted in R. v Molin [2015] O.J. No. 6074 (S.C.J.) that “Possession of a prohibited, loaded firearm does raise the possibility of imminent violence; indeed, it can serve no other purpose than one involving violence or intimidation …”. As stated in R v. Fenton [2017] O.J. No. 5308 (S.C.J.), while “some distinction should be made between offences involving semiautomatic handguns and those involving sawed-off shotguns, both types of offense are very serious and require significant sentences that emphasize the principles of denunciation and general deterrence.” (That offender received three years for possession of a sawed-off shotgun in circumstances where he threatened to shoot someone).
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