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

OTTAWA, Might 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government introduced legislation Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as a part of a gun control package that will additionally limit journal capacities and ban some toys that appear like guns.

The brand new laws, which resurrects some measures that have been shelved last year amid a national election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 kids and two academics of their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

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

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"We want solely look south of the border to know that if we don't take motion firmly and rapidly it gets worse and worse and gets 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 count on a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partly as a result of they are so closely regulated already, an official said in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun laws than the US but while its gun murder charge is lower than one-fifth the U.S. charge it is increased than that of other wealthy nations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 occasions Australia's rate.

The speed in every of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since at the least 1997, in keeping with Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 fashions of assault weapons, like the AR-15 rifle, two years ago in the wake of a mass shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms owners say they're contesting in courtroom. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary phase" of a program to purchase back and compensate owners of such weapons.

Whereas the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws may cross with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Social gathering.

The deliberate laws would forestall anybody topic to a safety order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from acquiring or keeping a firearms license.

It is going to also require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered to allow them to never hold greater than five rounds and can ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

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

"Because they give the impression of being the identical as real firearms, police must treat them as if they are real. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti advised reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed among the moves, such because the "pink flag" provisions within the case of home violence, and said he would love extra data on enforcement and assets for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on pretend guns, which he stated have been a "large challenge."

"You can not distinguish between what's a replica firearm and what's an actual firearm, notably when these incidences involving replica firearms occur usually in very dynamic, quickly evolving circumstances."

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

He said authorities weren't using the tools they already had to deal with gun violence, similar to calling people listed as references on gun license applications.

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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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