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

OTTAWA, Might 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government launched laws Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as a part of a gun control package deal that might additionally restrict magazine capacities and ban some toys that appear to be weapons.

The brand new legislation, which resurrects some measures that had been shelved last year amid a national election, comes only a week after a gunman killed 19 kids and two academics in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters the brand new measures had been needed as gun violence was growing.

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"We want solely 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 harder 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 would be allowed to maintain 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 said in a briefing.

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

The speed 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 fashions of assault weapons, just like the AR-15 rifle, two years in the past within the wake of a mass shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms owners say they're contesting in court docket. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial section" of a program to purchase again and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws might cross with the assist of the left-leaning New Democratic Party.

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

It would also require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered so they can never maintain greater than five rounds and will ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

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

"Because they look the identical as actual firearms, police need to treat them as if they are real. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti advised reporters.

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

He completely supported a crackdown on faux guns, which he mentioned have been a "massive problem."

"You can not distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's an actual firearm, significantly when these incidences involving reproduction 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 mentioned authorities weren't using the instruments they already had to tackle gun violence, similar to 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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