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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government launched legislation Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as part of a gun control package deal that may additionally restrict journal capacities and ban some toys that look like weapons.

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

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters the new measures have been needed as gun violence was increasing.

Register

"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, together with for elite sport shooters, Olympic athletes and safety guards. Canadians who already personal handguns would be allowed to maintain them.

Authorities do not count on a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partly because they are so heavily regulated already, an official said in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun legislation than the USA but while its gun murder charge is less than one-fifth the U.S. fee it's increased than that of different wealthy international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 instances Australia's fee.

The rate in each of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since no less than 1997, in response to 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 within the wake of a mass taking pictures 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 phase" of a program to buy again and compensate house owners of such weapons.

Whereas the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws could pass with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Get together.

The planned legislation would stop anybody topic to a safety order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from obtaining or holding a firearms license.

It'll also require long-gun magazines to be completely altered so they can never maintain more than 5 rounds and can ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The brand new legal guidelines would additionally ban some toys that appear like actual weapons, such as airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. read more

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

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

He completely supported a crackdown on pretend guns, which he stated were a "huge problem."

"You cannot distinguish between what's a reproduction 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 head of the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights, stated the handgun freeze was "absurd."

He stated authorities weren't using the tools they already had to deal with gun violence, such as calling people listed as references on gun license functions.

Register

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

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Rules.