Quote Originally Posted by Petamocto View Post
The aim of the safety course is to teach you about firearms, and show you how to use them safely. At the end of that course there is a practical test when you must demonstrate that you know how to use them safely. They'll put several types of guns in front of you, and you'll have to safely handle them all (proving them safe, loads, unloads, knowing which type/calibre of ammo goes in each, etc)
Actually it's a bit of history, a few firearms types, and how to load/unload. Rather than how to use them safely -- which would require you to fire/carry the guns in a variety of environments.
It's not so much "proving them safe" but "proving them unloaded".

Quote Originally Posted by Petamocto View Post
If you are new to firearms, though, I strongly recommend that you do take the full safety course. Not only will they teach you about things like safe storage, the classification system, and different types of firearms, you'll actually get hands-on experience. It's well worth it. Your aim should be to be a responsible gun owner who knows what you're doing, not just to get a PAL.
Yep.
I discovered I hate loading gates. (Ironically, I'm considering buying a pair)