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

OTTAWA, May 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government introduced laws Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as part of a gun management bundle that would additionally limit journal capacities and ban some toys that appear like weapons.

The new laws, which resurrects some measures that were shelved final year amid a national election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers of their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

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

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"We'd like solely look south of the border to know that if we don't take action firmly and rapidly it will get worse and worse and gets harder to counter," he mentioned.

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

Authorities do not count on a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partially as a result of they're so heavily regulated already, an official said in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun laws than the US however whereas its gun murder rate is lower than one-fifth the U.S. price it is increased than that of different rich countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was five occasions Australia's charge.

The speed in each of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since at least 1997, in line with Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 fashions of assault weapons, like the AR-15 rifle, two years ago in the wake of a mass taking pictures in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms homeowners say they're contesting in court docket. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary phase" of a program to buy again and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws could pass with the help of the left-leaning New Democratic Occasion.

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

It would additionally require long-gun magazines to be completely altered so they can never maintain greater than five rounds and will ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

The brand new laws would also ban some toys that appear to be actual guns, corresponding 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 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 Association, welcomed among the moves, such as the "pink flag" provisions in the case of home violence, and stated he would love more data on enforcement and resources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He fully supported a crackdown on fake guns, which he mentioned were a "huge challenge."

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

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

He stated authorities weren't using the tools they already had to deal with gun violence, comparable to calling individuals listed as references on gun license applications.

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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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