I've just rediscovered this thread. As you have read from Daryl and others living above the 49th, we're not allowed to keep a gun by the bed, for our own safety of course, not to mention that of any enterprising criminal. (We're very egalitarian up here.) We are allowed, however, to use deadly force if we deem our lives to be in danger, but the law makes it pretty difficult to get to a firearm should the need arise. Fortunately, Canadian society seems to be less violent than in the US, generally speaking, so the need to be armed isn't as great... so far. When I read the "Tactical and Personal Defence" threads on the 1911 Forum and see people asking, presumably quite honestly, "What do you carry when you're putting out the garbage/mowing the lawn/taking a c**p" or whatever, I'm appalled! I live in a semi-rural area on the edge of a small town and always say "better wild animals than wild neighbours." Fortunately I have great neighbours; the coyotes and black bears are just around to give the neighbourhood dogs something to bark at- as if they need an excuse.

Grenadier, I'm curious about your biometric safe. I've toyed with the idea of having a handgun stored within easy reach in my new house, (in accordance with federal regs. of course) but have always been suspicious of consumer-grade electronic devices and have been leaning towards a safe with a Simplex (push-buttom mechanical) mechanism such as is made by V-Line. Presumably you have full confidence in yours, though.