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

OTTAWA, Might 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities launched laws Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as a part of a gun management bundle that will also restrict journal capacities and ban some toys that seem like guns.

The brand new laws, which resurrects some measures that had been shelved final year amid a nationwide election, comes only a week after a gunman killed 19 youngsters 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'd like solely look south of the border to know that if we do not take action firmly and rapidly it gets worse and worse and will get tougher to counter," he mentioned.

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 keep them.

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

Canada has stronger gun legislation than the United States however whereas its gun murder charge is lower than one-fifth the U.S. price it is larger than that of different wealthy countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 times Australia's charge.

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 models of assault weapons, just like the AR-15 rifle, two years ago in the wake of a mass shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms owners say they are contesting in court docket. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial section" of a program to purchase again and compensate owners of such weapons.

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws could go with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Get together.

The planned legislation would forestall anybody subject to a safety order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from acquiring or holding a firearms license.

It's going to additionally require long-gun magazines to be completely altered to allow them to by no means maintain greater than five rounds and can ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The new legal guidelines would also ban some toys that seem like real guns, corresponding to airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. learn extra

"As a result of they appear the same as real 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 Affiliation, welcomed a number of the strikes, such as the "purple flag" provisions within the case of domestic violence, and stated he would love extra information on enforcement and assets for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He fully supported a crackdown on faux weapons, which he said have been a "large problem."

"You cannot distinguish between what's a replica firearm and what's an actual firearm, significantly when these incidences involving duplicate firearms occur 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 mentioned authorities weren't using the tools they already had to sort out gun violence, corresponding to calling folks 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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