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

OTTAWA, Might 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities launched legislation 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 limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that seem like weapons.

The brand new laws, which resurrects some measures that have been shelved final yr amid a national election, comes only a week after a gunman killed 19 youngsters and two academics of their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

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

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"We'd like only look south of the border to know that if we don't take action firmly and rapidly it will get worse and worse and will get more difficult to counter," he stated.

The handgun freeze would contain exceptions, including for elite sport shooters, Olympic athletes and security guards. Canadians who already personal 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 mentioned in a briefing.

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

The speed in each of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since at the very least 1997, according to Statistics Canada.

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

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation could cross with the assist of the left-leaning New Democratic Occasion.

The deliberate legislation would stop anyone topic to a safety order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from acquiring or preserving a firearms license.

It can also require long-gun magazines to be completely altered to allow them to by no means maintain more than 5 rounds and can ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The brand new laws would additionally ban some toys that seem like actual weapons, corresponding to airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. read more

"As a result of they look the identical as real firearms, police must treat them as if they are actual. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti instructed reporters.

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

He fully supported a crackdown on faux weapons, which he mentioned have been a "large problem."

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

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

He said authorities were not utilizing the tools they already had to sort out gun violence, corresponding 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, Enhancing by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Ideas.