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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities 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 limit journal capacities and ban some toys that look like guns.

The brand new laws, which resurrects some measures that had been shelved final yr amid a nationwide election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 kids and two academics in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

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

Register

"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 more difficult to counter," he stated.

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

Authorities don't count on 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 legislation than the United States but whereas its gun murder fee is lower than one-fifth the U.S. fee it's higher than that of other wealthy nations and has been rising. In 2020 it was five occasions Australia's fee.

The rate in every of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since no less than 1997, in accordance with 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 move some firearms homeowners say they're contesting in court. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial part" of a program to purchase again and compensate house owners of such weapons.

Whereas the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws might move with the help of the left-leaning New Democratic Celebration.

The planned legislation would stop anybody subject to a protection order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from acquiring or protecting a firearms license.

It is going to also require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered to allow them to never maintain greater than 5 rounds and will ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

The new legal guidelines would also ban some toys that appear like actual weapons, comparable to airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. read more

"As a result of they look the identical as actual firearms, police have to deal with them as if they are actual. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti advised reporters.

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

He completely supported a crackdown on faux guns, which he stated were a "big problem."

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

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

He said authorities were not using the instruments they already had to deal with gun violence, similar to calling people listed as references on gun license purposes.

Register

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 Belief Rules.