Canada introduces regulation 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 purchase of handguns as part of a gun management package deal that may additionally limit journal capacities and ban some toys that seem like guns.

The new laws, which resurrects some measures that were shelved final yr amid a nationwide election, comes only a week after a gunman killed 19 youngsters and two academics in 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 need only look south of the border to know that if we don't take action firmly and rapidly it gets worse and worse and gets more difficult to counter," he stated.

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

Authorities do not expect 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 US but whereas its gun murder fee is less than one-fifth the U.S. rate it's increased than that of other wealthy countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 times Australia's charge.

The rate in every of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since no less than 1997, in keeping with Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 fashions 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 courtroom. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial section" of a program to buy back and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation could move with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Occasion.

The planned laws would stop anybody subject to a protection order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from acquiring or retaining a firearms license.

It can additionally require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered to allow them to by no means hold more than 5 rounds and can ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

The brand new legal guidelines would also ban some toys that appear like real guns, such as airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. read extra

"As a result of they look the identical as real firearms, police must deal with them as if they're actual. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti informed reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed some of the moves, such as the "pink flag" provisions in the case of domestic violence, and stated he would love more information on enforcement and sources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He utterly supported a crackdown on pretend weapons, which he said had been a "large problem."

"You cannot distinguish between what's a reproduction firearm and what's a real firearm, significantly when these incidences involving replica firearms occur usually in very dynamic, shortly evolving circumstances."

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

He stated authorities were not using the tools they already needed to deal with gun violence, akin to calling folks listed as references on gun license functions.

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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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