Law firm Howie Sacks & Henry has opened a new public‑safety litigation practice aimed at holding U.S. gun manufacturers accountable for firearms that cross the border and end up in Canadian crimes.
Case origins and legal strategy
Partner Paul Miller was approached by attorney Jonathan Lowy, founder of Global Action on Gun Violence, after a 2024 homicide in Ontario involved a gun trafficked from the United States. Lowy, who also advises Everytown Law, said the incident presented a chance to test the limits of U.S. liability shields that often protect gun sellers from civil suits.
Miller agreed to pursue the matter, emphasizing that manufacturers should not escape responsibility once a weapon leaves their showroom. “We want them to have a greater sense of responsibility,” he told reporters. “They say, ‘well, it’s out our door so it’s not our problem anymore.’ We’re saying that actually, it is your problem.”
The legal filing, a notice of action, has been lodged but not yet served. The practice plans to delay service for up to six months while police investigations continue, a tactic that reflects the complex jurisdictional issues likely to arise when U.S. entities are sued in Canadian courts.
Broader public‑safety goals
Miller’s approach mirrors earlier work on opioid class actions in British Columbia and the litigation surrounding the Boeing 737 Max crashes. In each instance, the aim was to secure compensation for victims while pressuring manufacturers to change unsafe practices.
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In the gun‑trafficking case, the argument centers on technology that could link each firearm to its original purchaser. He points to existing fingerprint identification methods as a model for preventing trafficked weapons from reaching people prohibited from owning guns under Canadian law. “It’s common‑sense gun control,” he said, adding that the measure would not infringe on lawful owners’ rights.
Legal precedent is uncertain.
In addition to the gun case, Howie Sacks & Henry continues to represent families affected by the Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 tragedy and to pursue compensation for Canadian diplomats suffering from Havana Syndrome. These parallel efforts show the firm’s commitment to using civil litigation as a tool for systemic change.
The public‑safety practice is still in its early stages, and the outcomes of the current filing remain uncertain. Nonetheless, the partnership between Miller and Lowy signals a willingness to challenge entrenched legal protections in the hope of reducing gun‑related deaths on both sides of the border.
