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

OTTAWA, Might 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities launched legislation Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as a part of a gun management bundle that would additionally restrict magazine capacities and ban some toys that seem like weapons.

The brand new legislation, which resurrects some measures that had been shelved final 12 months amid a national election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 kids and two teachers in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

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

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"We need only look south of the border to know that if we do not take motion firmly and quickly it gets worse and worse and gets more difficult 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 keep them.

Authorities do not expect 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 laws than america but whereas its gun homicide fee is lower than one-fifth the U.S. rate it is increased than that of other wealthy international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was five occasions Australia's price.

The speed in every of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since not less than 1997, in response 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 shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms owners say they're contesting in courtroom. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary section" of a program to purchase back and compensate owners of such weapons.

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

The deliberate legislation would prevent anybody topic to a safety order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from obtaining or holding a firearms license.

It can additionally require long-gun magazines to be completely altered to allow them to by no means hold more than 5 rounds and can ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

The new legal guidelines would also ban some toys that seem like actual guns, reminiscent of airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. learn more

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

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association, welcomed a number of the strikes, such as the "red flag" provisions within the case of home violence, and mentioned he would really like more data on enforcement and resources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on fake guns, which he said had been a "large challenge."

"You can't distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's a real firearm, notably when these incidences involving duplicate firearms happen often in very dynamic, quickly evolving circumstances."

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

He said authorities were not using the instruments they already needed to deal with gun violence, such as calling people listed as references on gun license purposes.

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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 Ideas.