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

OTTAWA, Might 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government introduced laws Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as a part of a gun management package that will also restrict journal capacities and ban some toys that appear like guns.

The new laws, which resurrects some measures that were shelved final year amid a nationwide election, comes only a week after a gunman killed 19 kids and two lecturers in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters the brand new measures had been wanted as gun violence was increasing.

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

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

Authorities don't anticipate a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, in part because they're so heavily regulated already, an official stated in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun laws than the United States however whereas its gun homicide rate is less than one-fifth the U.S. fee it is larger than that of other wealthy international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 occasions Australia's rate.

The speed in every of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since not less than 1997, according to Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 fashions of assault weapons, just like the AR-15 rifle, two years in the past within the wake of a mass capturing in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms owners say they're contesting in courtroom. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial part" of a program to purchase again and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

Whereas the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation could move with the help of the left-leaning New Democratic Social gathering.

The deliberate legislation would forestall anybody subject to a protection order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from acquiring or holding a firearms license.

It will additionally require long-gun magazines to be completely altered so they can never maintain greater than five rounds and can ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The new laws would also ban some toys that appear like real weapons, reminiscent of airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. learn more

"Because they appear the identical as real firearms, police have to treat them as if they are real. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti told reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed some of the strikes, such as the "crimson flag" provisions within the case of domestic violence, and said he would really like extra data on enforcement and sources for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He utterly supported a crackdown on pretend guns, which he stated had been a "huge challenge."

"You cannot distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's an actual firearm, notably when these incidences involving reproduction firearms happen usually in very dynamic, quickly evolving circumstances."

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

He said authorities weren't using the instruments they already needed to deal with gun violence, similar 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, Enhancing by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Rules.