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

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

The brand new legislation, which resurrects some measures that had been shelved last year amid a nationwide 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 were wanted as gun violence was rising.

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

The handgun freeze would contain exceptions, including for elite sport shooters, Olympic athletes and safety guards. Canadians who already own handguns can be allowed to maintain them.

Authorities don't expect a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partially because they are so heavily regulated already, an official stated in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun laws than america but whereas its gun homicide price is less than one-fifth the U.S. fee it's larger than that of different rich countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was five times Australia's price.

The speed in each of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since a minimum of 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 move some firearms house owners say they are contesting in courtroom. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial part" of a program to purchase back and compensate house owners of such weapons.

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

The planned legislation would stop anybody topic to a protection order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from acquiring or keeping a firearms license.

It would additionally require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered to allow them to by no means hold more than 5 rounds and will ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The new legal guidelines would additionally ban some toys that seem like real weapons, such as airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. learn extra

"Because they look the identical as real firearms, police must treat them as if they are real. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti informed reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association, welcomed some of the moves, such because the "red flag" provisions within the case of domestic violence, and said he would like extra information on enforcement and sources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He utterly supported a crackdown on pretend guns, which he said had been a "massive challenge."

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

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

He mentioned authorities weren't using the instruments they already needed to tackle gun violence, corresponding to calling individuals listed as references on gun license functions.

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Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa and Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto, Enhancing by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

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