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

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

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

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters the new measures were wanted as gun violence was growing.

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"We'd like solely look south of the border to know that if we do not take motion firmly and quickly it gets worse and worse and will get tougher to counter," he stated.

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

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

Canada has stronger gun laws than america but while its gun homicide fee is less than one-fifth the U.S. charge it's greater than that of different wealthy nations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 occasions Australia's price.

The rate in each of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since a minimum of 1997, according to 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 in the wake of a mass capturing in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms house owners say they are contesting in court docket. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial phase" of a program to purchase back and compensate house owners of such weapons.

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

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

It would also require long-gun magazines to be completely altered to allow them to never 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 actual weapons, similar to airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. read extra

"Because they appear the identical as real firearms, police need to treat them as if they're actual. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti instructed reporters.

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

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

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

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

He said authorities weren't using the instruments they already needed to tackle gun violence, corresponding to 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, Modifying by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

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