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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities launched legislation Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as part of a gun control bundle that might additionally restrict journal capacities and ban some toys that appear like guns.

The brand new legislation, which resurrects some measures that had been shelved final year amid a nationwide election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 kids and two teachers of their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

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

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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 gets more difficult to counter," he mentioned.

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

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

Canada has stronger gun laws than the United States but while its gun murder rate is less than one-fifth the U.S. rate it is greater than that of different rich international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 occasions Australia's fee.

The rate in each of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since at the least 1997, in accordance with 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 taking pictures in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms house owners say they are contesting in court. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial phase" of a program to buy back and compensate owners of such weapons.

Whereas the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws may pass with the assist of the left-leaning New Democratic Social gathering.

The deliberate legislation would prevent anybody topic to a safety order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from obtaining or preserving a firearms license.

It would additionally require long-gun magazines to be completely altered to allow them to never maintain more than 5 rounds and can ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The new laws would also ban some toys that look like actual guns, equivalent to airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a man 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 real. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti told reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed a number of the strikes, such as the "red flag" provisions in the case of home violence, and stated he would like extra information on enforcement and assets for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He fully supported a crackdown on pretend weapons, which he stated were a "large challenge."

"You can't distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's a real firearm, particularly when these incidences involving duplicate firearms occur typically in very dynamic, quickly evolving circumstances."

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

He mentioned authorities were not using the instruments they already had to sort out gun violence, corresponding to calling individuals 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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