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

OTTAWA, May 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government launched laws Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as part of a gun control package deal that may also limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that appear to be guns.

The new laws, which resurrects some measures that were shelved final 12 months amid a national election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 children and two lecturers of their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau informed reporters the brand new measures were wanted as gun violence was increasing.

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"We want only look south of the border to know that if we don't take action firmly and quickly it will get worse and worse and gets tougher to counter," he mentioned.

The handgun freeze would comprise exceptions, including for elite sport shooters, Olympic athletes and safety guards. Canadians who already own handguns could be allowed to maintain them.

Authorities do not count on a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partly because they are so closely regulated already, an official stated in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun legislation than america however whereas its gun murder fee is lower than one-fifth the U.S. fee it is greater than that of different wealthy countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 instances Australia's rate.

The speed in every of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since no less than 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 capturing in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms owners say they're contesting in courtroom. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial section" of a program to purchase back and compensate owners of such weapons.

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws could pass with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Social gathering.

The deliberate laws would prevent anyone subject to a safety order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from obtaining or retaining a firearms license.

It's going to additionally require long-gun magazines to be completely altered so they can by no means hold greater than 5 rounds and will ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

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

"As a result of they give the impression of being the same as real firearms, police must deal with them as if they're actual. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti informed reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed some of the moves, such as the "red flag" provisions in the case of home violence, and said he would like extra data on enforcement and sources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on fake guns, which he stated had been a "massive problem."

"You cannot distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's a real firearm, notably when these incidences involving duplicate firearms occur usually in very dynamic, shortly evolving circumstances."

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

He said authorities were not utilizing the instruments they already needed to tackle gun violence, similar to calling folks listed as references on gun license applications.

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

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Ideas.