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

OTTAWA, Might 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities launched laws Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as part of a gun management bundle that might additionally restrict magazine capacities and ban some toys that look like guns.

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

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

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"We'd like only look south of the border to know that if we don't take action firmly and quickly 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 security guards. Canadians who already own handguns can be allowed to keep them.

Authorities do not anticipate a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partly as a result of they're so closely regulated already, an official mentioned in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun laws than the US however while its gun homicide charge is lower than one-fifth the U.S. price it's larger than that of other rich international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 instances Australia's rate.

The speed in each of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since a minimum of 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 taking pictures in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms homeowners say they're contesting in courtroom. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial part" of a program to purchase again and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

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

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

It'll additionally require long-gun magazines to be completely altered to allow them to never hold greater than 5 rounds and will ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

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

"Because they give the impression of being the identical as real firearms, police need to treat them as if they are real. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti instructed reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association, welcomed some of the moves, such as the "crimson flag" provisions in the case of home violence, and stated he would really like more information on enforcement and assets for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on fake guns, which he stated have been a "huge problem."

"You can't distinguish between what's a reproduction firearm and what's a real firearm, particularly when these incidences involving replica firearms happen usually in very dynamic, quickly evolving circumstances."

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

He stated authorities were not utilizing the instruments they already had to deal with gun violence, such as calling people 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

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Ideas.