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

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

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

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau advised reporters the brand new measures have been wanted as gun violence was increasing.

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"We want only look south of the border to know that if we don't take action firmly and rapidly it gets worse and worse and will get tougher to counter," he said.

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

Authorities don't count on a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partially as a result of they're so closely regulated already, an official said in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun legislation than america but whereas its gun murder fee is less than one-fifth the U.S. price it is larger than that of different rich countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 times Australia's rate.

The speed in each of 2020 and 2017 was the country'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 ago within the wake of a mass taking pictures in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms owners say they are contesting in court. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary part" of a program to purchase again and compensate house owners of such weapons.

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

The planned legislation would stop anybody topic to a protection order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from acquiring or retaining a firearms license.

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

The brand new legal guidelines would also ban some toys that seem like real guns, resembling airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. learn extra

"As a result of they appear the same as actual firearms, police have to treat them as if they're actual. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti advised reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association, welcomed some of the moves, such because the "pink flag" provisions within the case of domestic violence, and said he would love extra information on enforcement and assets for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He utterly supported a crackdown on faux weapons, which he said were a "huge problem."

"You can't distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's a real firearm, notably when these incidences involving duplicate firearms happen 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 said authorities were not utilizing the tools they already needed to tackle gun violence, comparable to calling individuals listed as references on gun license applications.

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

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