The use of weapons or arms to defend oneself is still heavily debated in Canadian law. While some feel weapons do help protect individuals from attackers and can save lives, others feel that this carries substantial risk to others and can instead be used aggressively rather than defensively to endanger others.

No matter what weapon is used in self-defence, it must only be used to defend oneself against a very severe and probable threat. This is not just exclusive to firearms and does apply to other forms of weapons such as knives or baseball bats.

If an individual has used a weapon or firearm in an attempt to defend themselves against their attacker, they must inform their defence lawyer as soon as possible. Not disclosing this now could significantly affect the outcome of their investigation and could lead to an assault, murder, or manslaughter charge.