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

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

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

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

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

The handgun freeze would include exceptions, including 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're so heavily regulated already, an official stated in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun legislation than the United States but whereas its gun homicide price is lower than one-fifth the U.S. fee it is increased than that of different rich international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was five times Australia's rate.

The speed in each 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 in the past within the wake of a mass shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms owners say they are contesting in court docket. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial section" of a program to purchase back and compensate owners of such weapons.

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

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

It'll additionally require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered so they can never hold greater than 5 rounds and will ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

The new laws would also ban some toys that look like real guns, equivalent to airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. read more

"As a result of they appear the identical as actual firearms, police must treat them as if they are real. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti told reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association, welcomed among 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 because the handgun freeze.

He fully supported a crackdown on pretend guns, which he stated have been a "big challenge."

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

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

He stated authorities weren't using the instruments they already needed to deal with gun violence, resembling calling individuals 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

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Rules.