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

OTTAWA, May 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government introduced laws Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as part of a gun management package that would also restrict magazine capacities and ban some toys that seem like guns.

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

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau informed reporters the new measures were needed as gun violence was rising.

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"We want only 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 stated.

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

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

Canada has stronger gun legislation than the US however whereas its gun homicide charge is less than one-fifth the U.S. fee it's increased than that of other wealthy countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was five times Australia's rate.

The rate in each of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since at least 1997, based on Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 fashions of assault weapons, like the AR-15 rifle, two years ago in the wake of a mass capturing in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms owners say they're contesting in courtroom. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary section" of a program to purchase again and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

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

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

It can additionally require long-gun magazines to be completely altered to allow them to never hold greater 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 to be actual weapons, resembling airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. learn more

"Because they appear the same as actual firearms, police have to treat them as if they are real. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti advised reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed a few of the strikes, such as the "purple flag" provisions within the case of home violence, and mentioned he would really like extra information on enforcement and sources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He utterly supported a crackdown on faux guns, which he said were a "huge challenge."

"You can not distinguish between what's a reproduction firearm and what's a real firearm, significantly when these incidences involving reproduction firearms happen often in very dynamic, quickly evolving circumstances."

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

He stated authorities were not using the tools they already needed to tackle gun violence, such as 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, Enhancing by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

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