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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government launched laws Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as part of a gun control package deal that might additionally limit journal capacities and ban some toys that seem like guns.

The new legislation, which resurrects some measures that had been shelved last year amid a nationwide election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 children and two lecturers in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

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

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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 gets worse and worse and will get harder to counter," he said.

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

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

Canada has stronger gun laws than the United States but whereas its gun murder rate is less than one-fifth the U.S. fee it is increased than that of other wealthy countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was five occasions Australia's charge.

The rate in each of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since no less than 1997, in line with Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 fashions 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 move some firearms homeowners say they are contesting in court docket. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial part" of a program to buy again and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

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

The planned laws would stop anyone topic to a safety order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from acquiring or protecting a firearms license.

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

The new legal guidelines would additionally ban some toys that appear like real guns, such as airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. read more

"As a result of they give the impression of being the identical as real firearms, police need to treat them as if they're real. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti told reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed among the strikes, such because the "purple flag" provisions within the case of home violence, and mentioned he would really like extra information on enforcement and resources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He fully supported a crackdown on pretend weapons, which he stated were a "massive problem."

"You can't distinguish between what's a reproduction 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, said the handgun freeze was "absurd."

He mentioned authorities weren't utilizing the instruments they already needed to tackle gun violence, such as calling individuals 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

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Ideas.