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

OTTAWA, Might 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government introduced laws Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as a part of a gun control bundle that may also restrict magazine capacities and ban some toys that appear like guns.

The new laws, which resurrects some measures that were shelved last yr amid a nationwide 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 have been needed as gun violence was increasing.

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

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

Authorities don't count on a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partly 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 but while its gun murder rate is lower than one-fifth the U.S. price it's larger than that of different rich nations and has been rising. In 2020 it was five occasions Australia's price.

The speed in every of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since not less than 1997, based on 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 taking pictures in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms house owners say they're contesting in courtroom. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary part" of a program to purchase again and compensate owners of such weapons.

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation could move with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Occasion.

The deliberate laws would prevent anyone topic to a safety order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from acquiring or keeping a firearms license.

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

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

"As a result of they give the impression of being the identical as real firearms, police must treat them as if they're real. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti advised reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed among the moves, such as the "crimson flag" provisions in the case of home violence, and said he would love more info on enforcement and resources for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on faux guns, which he said had been a "big challenge."

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

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

He mentioned authorities weren't utilizing the tools they already had to tackle gun violence, reminiscent of calling people listed as references on gun license functions.

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

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Ideas.