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

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

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

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

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

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

Authorities do not anticipate a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partly because they're so heavily regulated already, an official mentioned in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun legislation than the USA but whereas its gun homicide rate is lower than one-fifth the U.S. rate it is increased than that of other rich countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was five times 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 homeowners say they are contesting in court docket. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary phase" of a program to purchase again and compensate owners of such weapons.

Whereas the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation might cross with the assist of the left-leaning New Democratic Occasion.

The planned laws would prevent anyone subject to a safety order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from acquiring or maintaining a firearms license.

It is going to also require long-gun magazines to be completely altered to allow them to never maintain more than five rounds and will ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The brand new legal guidelines would also ban some toys that appear to be actual weapons, reminiscent of airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. learn extra

"Because they appear the same as real firearms, police need to deal with them as if they're actual. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti informed reporters.

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

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

"You cannot distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's a real firearm, particularly when these incidences involving replica firearms happen usually in very dynamic, shortly evolving circumstances."

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

He stated authorities weren't utilizing the tools they already had to deal with gun violence, resembling calling folks listed as references on gun license applications.

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

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