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

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

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

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau informed reporters the brand new measures were wanted as gun violence was increasing.

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

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

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

Canada has stronger gun legislation than america but while its gun murder charge is lower than one-fifth the U.S. rate it's increased than that of different wealthy countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was five instances Australia's rate.

The speed in each of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since no less than 1997, in accordance with Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 models of assault weapons, just like the AR-15 rifle, two years in the past within the wake of a mass shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms homeowners say they are contesting in courtroom. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial phase" of a program to buy again and compensate house owners of such weapons.

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

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

It should additionally require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered so they can never hold more than five rounds and will ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

The brand new laws would additionally ban some toys that seem like actual guns, such as airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. learn more

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

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed a few of the moves, such as the "crimson flag" provisions in the case of domestic violence, and mentioned he would really like more info on enforcement and resources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He fully supported a crackdown on fake guns, which he said had been a "massive challenge."

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

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

He stated authorities were not using the tools they already had to sort out gun violence, comparable to calling individuals listed as references on gun license functions.

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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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