Canada introduces legislation to freeze handgun sales, ban look-alike toys

OTTAWA, Might 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities introduced laws Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as part of a gun control bundle that may additionally limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that look like weapons.

The new legislation, which resurrects some measures that were shelved last 12 months amid a national election, comes only a week after a gunman killed 19 youngsters and two teachers in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau advised reporters the new measures had been wanted as gun violence was growing.

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"We want solely look south of the border to know that if we do not take motion firmly and rapidly it will get worse and worse and will get harder to counter," he mentioned.

The handgun freeze would include exceptions, together with for elite sport shooters, Olympic athletes and security guards. Canadians who already personal handguns can be allowed to maintain them.

Authorities don't count on a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, in part because they are so closely regulated already, an official said in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun legislation than the USA however whereas its gun murder price is lower than one-fifth the U.S. fee it is larger than that of other rich nations and has been rising. In 2020 it was five times Australia's fee.

The rate in every of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since a minimum of 1997, in accordance with Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 fashions of assault weapons, just like the AR-15 rifle, two years ago in the wake of a mass taking pictures in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms owners say they are contesting in courtroom. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial section" of a program to buy again and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation might cross with the help of the left-leaning New Democratic Occasion.

The planned laws would stop anybody topic to a safety order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from acquiring or conserving a firearms license.

It'll also require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered so they can by no means hold more than 5 rounds and will ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The brand new legal guidelines would also ban some toys that look like real weapons, resembling airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. read extra

"As a result of they appear the identical as real firearms, police need to treat them as if they're actual. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti advised reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed a few of the strikes, such as the "red flag" provisions in the case of home violence, and stated he would love extra data on enforcement and resources for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He fully supported a crackdown on pretend weapons, which he stated had been a "big challenge."

"You can't distinguish between what's a reproduction firearm and what's a real firearm, particularly when these incidences involving reproduction firearms happen typically in very dynamic, rapidly evolving circumstances."

Rod Giltaca, the top of the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights, said the handgun freeze was "absurd."

He said authorities were not utilizing the tools they already had to deal with gun violence, corresponding to calling individuals listed as references on gun license functions.

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Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa and Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto, Modifying by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

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