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

OTTAWA, Might 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government introduced legislation Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as part of a gun management bundle that might additionally limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that look like guns.

The new laws, which resurrects some measures that were shelved final yr amid a national election, comes only a week after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters the new measures have been needed as gun violence was increasing.

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"We want solely look south of the border to know that if we do not take motion firmly and rapidly it gets worse and worse and gets more difficult to counter," he said.

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

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

Canada has stronger gun legislation than the United States but while its gun homicide price is lower than one-fifth the U.S. price it's greater than that of other wealthy international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 occasions Australia's rate.

The speed in every of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since at the least 1997, according to Statistics Canada.

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

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws might move with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Party.

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

It is going to additionally require long-gun magazines to be completely altered to allow them to never hold more than 5 rounds and can 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. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. read more

"As a result of they give the impression of being the same as real firearms, police have to treat them as if they are actual. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti told reporters.

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

He utterly supported a crackdown on pretend guns, which he mentioned have been a "massive challenge."

"You can not distinguish between what's a reproduction firearm and what's an actual firearm, notably when these incidences involving reproduction firearms occur usually in very dynamic, rapidly evolving circumstances."

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

He stated authorities were not utilizing the instruments they already had to tackle gun violence, reminiscent of 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, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

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