Amid the social disorder and chaos in Edmonton's LRT system, one Albertan has armed themself with dog and bear spray in order to feel safe..One resident who rides the train to get to work, his name withheld, told the Western Standard he is going to start carrying a concealed weapon for his own protection..The resident said "he will deal with the law" with regards to if he ever has to use the bear spray and key chain dog spray he now carries to protect himself..Under the criminal code, every person commits an offence who carries a weapon, a prohibited device or any prohibited ammunition concealed, unless the person is authorized under the Firearms Act to carry it concealed. If caught and found guilty, the offence is punishable by summary conviction..READ MORE: Edmonton woman warning residents of dangers of LRT after fighting off attacker.Under Section 34 Defence — use or threat of force, a person is not guilty of an offence if:.(a) they believe on reasonable grounds that force is being used against them or another person or that a threat of force is being made against them or another person;.(b) the act that constitutes the offence is committed for the purpose of defending or protecting themselves or the other person from that use or threat of force; and.(c) the act committed is reasonable in the circumstances..Addiction and homelessness have affected every community in Alberta, with Edmonton being especially hard hit.."I ain't opposed to letting them have a warm place during the cold months, that's being compassionate," one Twitter user said.."But if the city is going to allow them to dwell in places where they will cause conflict, the city needs to have workers in place to ensure everyone's safety."."In terms of our patrols, we regularly circulate our teams through the LRT stations and throughout the downtown core where crime and disorder have been a concern," The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) told the Western Standard..READ MORE: ETS advises resident 'move to other side of station' to avoid meth heads.Pepper spray or bear spray is considered a prohibited weapon under Canada’s Firearms Act. As such, the following are criminal charges that could be laid as defined in the Criminal Code of Canada:.Possession of a weapon for Dangerous PurposesCarrying a concealed weaponUnauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon."The only legal exception to carrying pepper spray is if you are in an area associated with wildlife where you may require to use it for protection against animals," EPS spokesperson Cheryl Sheppard said.."Anything other than this exception could lead to criminal charges, including carrying spray for personal defense."
