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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government launched legislation Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as a part of a gun management bundle that may additionally limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that seem like guns.

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

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instructed reporters the brand new measures had been needed as gun violence was increasing.

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"We want 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 mentioned.

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

Authorities do not anticipate a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, in part as a result of they are so heavily regulated already, an official said in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun laws than the United States however while its gun murder rate is lower than one-fifth the U.S. fee it's increased than that of different rich nations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 times Australia's rate.

The speed in every of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since at the least 1997, based on Statistics Canada.

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

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation might pass with the assist of the left-leaning New Democratic Celebration.

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

It'll also require long-gun magazines to be completely altered to allow them to never hold greater than 5 rounds and will ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The brand new legal guidelines would additionally ban some toys that appear to be actual weapons, corresponding to airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. learn more

"Because they appear the same as actual firearms, police must 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 Affiliation, welcomed some of the moves, such as the "purple flag" provisions in the case of home violence, and mentioned he would really like extra data on enforcement and resources for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He fully supported a crackdown on faux weapons, which he stated have been a "massive problem."

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

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

He stated authorities were not using the tools they already needed to sort out gun violence, corresponding 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, Enhancing by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

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