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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government launched legislation Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as part of a gun control package deal that would also limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that look like weapons.

The brand new legislation, which resurrects some measures that had been shelved final year 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 instructed reporters the brand new measures have been needed as gun violence was rising.

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"We want only 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 comprise exceptions, including for elite sport shooters, Olympic athletes and safety guards. Canadians who already personal handguns can be allowed to maintain them.

Authorities don't count on a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partially because they're so closely regulated already, an official mentioned in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun legislation than america however while its gun homicide fee is less than one-fifth the U.S. price it is larger than that of other wealthy countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 instances Australia's rate.

The rate in every of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since at the least 1997, in accordance with Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 models of assault weapons, like the AR-15 rifle, two years ago in the wake of a mass capturing in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms house owners say they are contesting in courtroom. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary phase" of a program to buy back and compensate owners of such weapons.

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

The deliberate legislation would stop anybody subject to a safety order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from acquiring or conserving a firearms license.

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

The brand new legal guidelines would additionally ban some toys that seem like real weapons, similar to airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. learn more

"As a result of they give the impression of being the same as real firearms, police need to treat them as if they are real. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti informed reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association, welcomed among the strikes, such because the "pink flag" provisions in the case of domestic violence, and mentioned he would love more information on enforcement and resources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on fake guns, which he mentioned were a "big problem."

"You can't distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's a real firearm, notably when these incidences involving duplicate firearms occur typically in very dynamic, quickly evolving circumstances."

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

He said authorities were not utilizing the instruments they already needed to tackle gun violence, such as 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, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

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