Canada introduces law 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 buy of handguns as part of a gun management package that will also restrict magazine capacities and ban some toys that appear to be guns.

The new legislation, which resurrects some measures that have been shelved final 12 months amid a national election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 children and two academics in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

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

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"We need only look south of the border to know that if we don't take motion firmly and rapidly it will get worse and worse and will get tougher to counter," he stated.

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

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

Canada has stronger gun laws than the United States but whereas its gun murder rate is less than one-fifth the U.S. fee it is increased than that of other rich international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was five instances Australia's fee.

The rate in each of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since at the very least 1997, based on 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 shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms house owners say they're contesting in court. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial 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 may pass with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Social gathering.

The deliberate laws would stop anybody topic to a safety order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from acquiring or protecting a firearms license.

It would also require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered so they can by no means maintain greater than five rounds and will ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

The new legal guidelines would also ban some toys that appear to be real weapons, equivalent to airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. read extra

"As a result of they appear the same as actual firearms, police need to treat them as if they're real. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti told reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed some of the strikes, such because the "crimson flag" provisions in the case of domestic violence, and mentioned he would like more information on enforcement and assets for measures such as the handgun freeze.

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

"You can not distinguish between what's a replica firearm and what's an actual firearm, significantly when these incidences involving duplicate firearms occur often in very dynamic, shortly evolving circumstances."

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

He mentioned authorities were not using the tools they already had to tackle gun violence, reminiscent of 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, Enhancing by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Rules.