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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities launched legislation Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as a part of a gun control bundle that would additionally limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that appear like guns.

The brand new laws, 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 lecturers of their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau advised reporters the new measures had been wanted as gun violence was increasing.

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"We'd like solely look south of the border to know that if we don't take motion firmly and quickly it will get worse and worse and gets tougher to counter," he said.

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

Authorities don't expect 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 legislation than the United States however while its gun murder fee is lower than one-fifth the U.S. charge it's larger than that of different rich international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 occasions Australia's rate.

The speed in each of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since at the very least 1997, based on Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 fashions of assault weapons, like the AR-15 rifle, two years ago in the wake of a mass shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms owners say they're contesting in courtroom. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial phase" of a program to purchase back and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

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

The planned legislation would prevent anybody subject to a protection order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from acquiring or conserving a firearms license.

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

The brand new legal guidelines would additionally ban some toys that appear like actual weapons, reminiscent of airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. read extra

"Because they appear the identical as actual firearms, police need to treat them as if they're actual. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti instructed reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed a few of the moves, such because the "crimson flag" provisions in the case of domestic violence, and stated he would really like extra information on enforcement and assets for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He fully supported a crackdown on fake guns, which he mentioned had been a "huge problem."

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

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

He said authorities were not using the instruments they already needed to deal with gun violence, comparable to 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, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Ideas.