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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities introduced laws Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as a part of a gun control package deal that would also restrict journal capacities and ban some toys that appear to be weapons.

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

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

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"We'd like only look south of the border to know that if we do not take action firmly and quickly it will get worse and worse and gets harder to counter," he mentioned.

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

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

Canada has stronger gun laws than the United States but whereas its gun homicide price is less than one-fifth the U.S. charge it is larger than that of other rich countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 occasions Australia's fee.

The speed in each of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since not less than 1997, in line with Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 models of assault weapons, like the AR-15 rifle, two years ago in the wake of a mass capturing in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms owners say they are contesting in court. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial section" of a program to buy back and compensate house owners of such weapons.

Whereas the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation could pass with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Party.

The deliberate legislation would prevent anyone subject to a protection order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from obtaining or protecting a firearms license.

It is going to additionally require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered so they can never maintain more than 5 rounds and can ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The new legal guidelines would additionally ban some toys that appear to be actual weapons, similar to airsoft rifles. Last 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 same as actual firearms, police must treat them as if they're real. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti informed reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed a few of the moves, such as the "crimson flag" provisions within the case of domestic violence, and mentioned he would love extra information on enforcement and sources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

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

"You cannot distinguish between what's a replica firearm and what's an actual firearm, notably when these incidences involving reproduction firearms happen typically in very dynamic, quickly evolving circumstances."

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

He stated authorities were not using the instruments they already had to deal with gun violence, equivalent to calling folks 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

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