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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government introduced legislation Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as a part of a gun control bundle that would also limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that appear to be guns.

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

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

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"We need only look south of the border to know that if we do not take action firmly and quickly it gets worse and worse and gets more difficult to counter," he said.

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

Authorities don't expect a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, in part because they are so closely regulated already, an official mentioned in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun legislation than america but while its gun homicide rate is lower than one-fifth the U.S. charge it is increased than that of other rich international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was five instances Australia's price.

The rate in every of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since not less than 1997, according to 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 within the wake of a mass shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move 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 legislation might go with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Get together.

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

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

The brand new laws would also ban some toys that appear like real guns, akin to airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. learn extra

"As a result of they look the same as real firearms, police have to deal with them as if they're actual. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti informed reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed some of the strikes, such because the "purple flag" provisions in the case of home violence, and mentioned he would really like extra data on enforcement and sources for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He fully supported a crackdown on pretend weapons, which he mentioned were a "massive challenge."

"You can not distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's a real firearm, particularly when these incidences involving duplicate firearms occur typically in very dynamic, quickly evolving circumstances."

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

He mentioned authorities weren't utilizing the instruments they already had to deal with gun violence, akin to calling folks listed as references on gun license functions.

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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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