As discussed in a previous post, if you wish to obtain a Canadian firearm license (PAL) you must first successfully complete the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and possibly the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course depending on the classification of firearms you wish to possess and acquire.
The Canadian Firearms Safety Course came into inception in 1994 and it was intended to be an all inclusive introduction into the safe and legal use of firearms. When designing the course, the Canadian government met with various representatives from different branches of firearms use and ownership and asked for their input.