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

OTTAWA, May 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities launched legislation Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as part of a gun management package that would additionally restrict journal capacities and ban some toys that seem like guns.

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

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau advised reporters the brand new measures have been wanted as gun violence was growing.

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

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

Authorities do not expect a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partly as a result of they are 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 larger than that of different wealthy countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 occasions Australia's price.

The speed in each of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since at the least 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 in the past within the wake of a mass taking pictures in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms owners say they are contesting in court. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary section" of a program to purchase back and compensate owners of such weapons.

Whereas the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation may go with the help of the left-leaning New Democratic Social gathering.

The planned laws would prevent anyone topic to a protection order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from acquiring or retaining a firearms license.

It will additionally require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered to allow them to never hold more 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, equivalent to airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. learn more

"Because they appear the identical as actual firearms, police must 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 a number of the moves, such as the "pink flag" provisions within the case of domestic violence, and stated he would like extra data on enforcement and sources for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He fully supported a crackdown on pretend guns, which he mentioned were a "massive challenge."

"You can not 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, rapidly evolving circumstances."

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

He stated authorities weren't utilizing the instruments they already had to tackle gun violence, such as calling people listed as references on gun license applications.

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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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