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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government launched laws Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as a part of a gun control bundle that would additionally restrict journal capacities and ban some toys that seem like weapons.

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

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

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"We want solely look south of the border to know that if we do not take motion firmly and quickly it gets worse and worse and gets more difficult to counter," he said.

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

Authorities do not anticipate a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partially because they're so closely regulated already, an official stated in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun legislation than the USA however whereas its gun murder fee is lower than one-fifth the U.S. fee it is greater than that of other rich nations and has been rising. In 2020 it was five instances Australia's charge.

The rate in every of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since at least 1997, in response to Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 models of assault weapons, just 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 court docket. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial section" of a program to buy back and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws could move with the help of the left-leaning New Democratic Social gathering.

The planned legislation would prevent anybody subject to a safety order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from obtaining or protecting a firearms license.

It will additionally require long-gun magazines to be completely altered so they can never hold greater than five rounds and will ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

The new laws would additionally ban some toys that look like real guns, equivalent to airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. read more

"As a result of they appear the same as actual firearms, police must deal with them as if they are real. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti informed reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association, welcomed a number of the moves, such because the "red flag" provisions within the case of domestic violence, and stated he would love extra info on enforcement and sources for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on faux guns, which he stated have been a "large problem."

"You cannot distinguish between what's a replica firearm and what's a real firearm, particularly when these incidences involving reproduction firearms occur usually in very dynamic, quickly evolving circumstances."

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

He mentioned authorities weren't using the instruments they already needed to sort out gun violence, corresponding to calling people listed as references on gun license purposes.

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

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