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

OTTAWA, May 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities launched legislation Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as a part of a gun control bundle that would also limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that seem like weapons.

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

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

Register

"We'd like only 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 more difficult to counter," he said.

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

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

Canada has stronger gun laws than the US however whereas its gun murder rate is lower than one-fifth the U.S. charge it's higher than that of different rich countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was five times Australia's price.

The speed in every of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since no less than 1997, in keeping 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 ago within the wake of a mass shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms homeowners say they're contesting in court docket. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial section" of a program to purchase again and compensate house owners of such weapons.

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation could pass with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Social gathering.

The planned legislation would stop anybody subject to a protection order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from obtaining or preserving a firearms license.

It can also require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered so they can never hold greater than 5 rounds and will ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

The brand new legal guidelines would additionally ban some toys that look like real guns, equivalent to airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. learn more

"Because they give the impression of being the same as real firearms, police must deal with them as if they're real. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti informed reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed among the moves, such as the "red flag" provisions within the case of domestic violence, and said he would really like extra data on enforcement and resources for measures such because the handgun freeze.

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

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

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

He mentioned authorities were not utilizing the tools they already had to sort out gun violence, similar to calling people listed as references on gun license functions.

Register

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

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.