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

OTTAWA, Might 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities launched laws Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as part of a gun management package that might additionally limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that appear like guns.

The brand new legislation, which resurrects some measures that had been shelved final 12 months amid a national election, comes only a week after a gunman killed 19 kids and two academics of their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau informed 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 action firmly and rapidly it will get worse and worse and gets more difficult to counter," he said.

The handgun freeze would include exceptions, including for elite sport shooters, Olympic athletes and security guards. Canadians who already personal handguns could be allowed to keep them.

Authorities do not expect a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, in part as a result of they're so closely regulated already, an official mentioned in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun legislation than the United States however whereas its gun murder fee is less than one-fifth the U.S. price it's larger than that of different wealthy nations and has been rising. In 2020 it was five times Australia's rate.

The speed in every of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since at the 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 ago within the wake of a mass capturing in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms owners say they are contesting in courtroom. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary 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 laws might go with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Party.

The deliberate laws would forestall anybody topic to a protection order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from acquiring or preserving a firearms license.

It is going to also require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered so they can never maintain greater 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 real weapons, resembling airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. learn extra

"As a result of they give the impression of being the same as real firearms, police have to 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 among the moves, such because the "pink flag" provisions within the case of domestic violence, and said he would really like extra information on enforcement and resources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on faux weapons, which he mentioned had been a "large challenge."

"You cannot distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's an actual firearm, significantly when these incidences involving replica firearms occur usually in very dynamic, rapidly evolving circumstances."

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

He stated authorities were not using the instruments they already needed to tackle gun violence, resembling 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, Enhancing by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

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