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

OTTAWA, May 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities launched laws Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as a part of a gun control package deal that may also limit journal capacities and ban some toys that seem like weapons.

The brand new legislation, which resurrects some measures that have been shelved last year amid a nationwide election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 youngsters and two teachers of their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau advised reporters the brand new measures were needed as gun violence was rising.

Register

"We need only look south of the border to know that if we do not take motion firmly and rapidly it will get worse and worse and gets tougher to counter," he said.

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

Authorities do not count on a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, in part as a result of they are so closely regulated already, an official mentioned in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun laws than the USA however whereas its gun homicide fee is less than one-fifth the U.S. charge it is larger than that of different rich nations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 occasions Australia's rate.

The speed in every of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since a minimum of 1997, according to Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 models of assault weapons, like the AR-15 rifle, two years in the past within the wake of a mass capturing in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms homeowners say they're contesting in courtroom. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary section" of a program to purchase back and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

Whereas the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws could go with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Social gathering.

The planned laws would stop anyone subject to a safety order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from acquiring or holding a firearms license.

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

The brand new laws would additionally ban some toys that appear like real weapons, reminiscent of airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. read more

"Because they appear the same as real firearms, police have to treat them as if they are actual. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti told reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association, welcomed a number of the moves, such as the "red flag" provisions within the case of domestic violence, and stated he would like more data on enforcement and sources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on fake guns, which he stated had been a "massive challenge."

"You can't distinguish between what's a replica firearm and what's an actual firearm, significantly when these incidences involving duplicate firearms happen typically in very dynamic, quickly evolving circumstances."

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

He said authorities weren't using the tools they already had to sort out gun violence, equivalent to calling individuals listed as references on gun license functions.

Register

Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa and Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto, Enhancing by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Ideas.