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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities launched legislation Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as a part of a gun control package that would also restrict journal capacities and ban some toys that seem like guns.

The brand new laws, which resurrects some measures that had been shelved final yr amid a nationwide election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 kids and two lecturers of their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau informed reporters the new measures have been wanted as gun violence was rising.

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"We'd like solely 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 more difficult to counter," he stated.

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

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

Canada has stronger gun laws than the US but whereas its gun homicide price is lower than one-fifth the U.S. price it's increased than that of different wealthy countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 times Australia's charge.

The rate in each of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since a minimum of 1997, based on Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 models of assault weapons, like the AR-15 rifle, two years in the past within the wake of a mass capturing in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms homeowners say they are contesting in courtroom. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary phase" of a program to purchase again and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

Whereas the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation may go with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Get together.

The deliberate legislation would stop anyone subject to a safety order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from acquiring or keeping a firearms license.

It's going to also require long-gun magazines to be completely altered to allow them to never maintain more than 5 rounds and can ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The new laws would also ban some toys that look like actual weapons, similar to airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. read more

"As a result of they look the same as real firearms, police need 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 a number of the moves, such as the "red flag" provisions within the case of home violence, and said he would love extra data on enforcement and resources for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on faux weapons, which he mentioned have been a "large challenge."

"You can't distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's an actual firearm, particularly when these incidences involving replica 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 mentioned authorities were not using the instruments they already had to sort out gun violence, equivalent to calling folks 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

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