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 "nationwide freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as a part of a gun management package that might additionally restrict journal capacities and ban some toys that appear like guns.

The brand new laws, which resurrects some measures that were shelved last yr amid a national election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 youngsters and two teachers of their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

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

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"We need only look south of the border to know that if we do not take action firmly and rapidly it gets worse and worse and gets harder to counter," he said.

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, in part because they are so heavily regulated already, an official said in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun laws than the United States however whereas its gun homicide charge is lower than one-fifth the U.S. rate it is increased than that of other wealthy nations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 times Australia's rate.

The speed in every of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since at 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 in the past in the wake of a mass capturing in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms owners say they are contesting in courtroom. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial part" of a program to buy again and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

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

The deliberate legislation would stop anyone subject to a protection order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from obtaining or conserving a firearms license.

It should also require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered to allow them to never maintain more than 5 rounds and will ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

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

"Because they look the identical as actual firearms, police have to deal with them as if they're actual. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti instructed reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed among the strikes, such because the "crimson flag" provisions within the case of domestic violence, and stated he would love more info on enforcement and sources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He utterly supported a crackdown on pretend weapons, which he stated have been a "massive problem."

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

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

He stated authorities were not using the tools they already had to sort out gun violence, reminiscent of calling people listed as references on gun license applications.

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

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