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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government introduced legislation Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as part of a gun management package that may also limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that look like guns.

The brand new laws, which resurrects some measures that had been shelved last year amid a nationwide election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 children and two academics in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instructed reporters the brand new measures have been needed as gun violence was rising.

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

The handgun freeze would comprise exceptions, together with for elite sport shooters, Olympic athletes and safety guards. Canadians who already personal handguns can be allowed to maintain them.

Authorities do not anticipate a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, in part as a result of they are so closely regulated already, an official said in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun legislation than america but whereas its gun homicide rate is lower than one-fifth the U.S. charge it is larger than that of other wealthy countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 instances Australia's fee.

The rate in every of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since a minimum of 1997, in line with Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 fashions of assault weapons, just like the AR-15 rifle, two years in the past in the wake of a mass shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms homeowners say they are contesting in court docket. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial part" of a program to buy again and compensate owners of such weapons.

Whereas the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation could cross with the help of the left-leaning New Democratic Occasion.

The planned laws would prevent anybody topic to a protection order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from acquiring or protecting a firearms license.

It should additionally require long-gun magazines to be completely altered so they can by no means maintain more than 5 rounds and can ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

The new legal guidelines would additionally ban some toys that appear like actual guns, comparable to airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. read extra

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

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed a number of the strikes, such because the "pink flag" provisions in the case of domestic violence, and mentioned he would like more info on enforcement and sources for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on pretend weapons, which he mentioned have been a "huge challenge."

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

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

He stated authorities weren't utilizing the tools they already needed to tackle gun violence, corresponding to calling folks listed as references on gun license purposes.

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

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Ideas.