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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities introduced laws Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as a part of a gun control package that might additionally restrict journal capacities and ban some toys that seem like guns.

The new laws, which resurrects some measures that were shelved final year amid a nationwide election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 children and two lecturers in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters the new measures have 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 don't take action firmly and rapidly it will get worse and worse and will get more difficult to counter," he stated.

The handgun freeze would include exceptions, including 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, partially as a result of they are so heavily regulated already, an official mentioned in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun legislation than america but whereas its gun homicide fee is lower than one-fifth the U.S. fee it is larger than that of different wealthy international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was five occasions Australia's fee.

The speed in each of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since at least 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 ago in the wake of a mass capturing in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms house owners say they are contesting in court. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary phase" of a program to buy back and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

Whereas the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation may go with the help of the left-leaning New Democratic Celebration.

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

It should additionally require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered so they can by no means hold more than five rounds and can ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

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

"Because they look the same as real firearms, police need to deal with them as if they are real. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti informed reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed a number of the strikes, such because the "pink flag" provisions within the case of home violence, and said he would love more info on enforcement and sources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on fake guns, which he said had been a "large challenge."

"You cannot distinguish between what's a reproduction firearm and what's a real firearm, notably when these incidences involving duplicate firearms occur typically in very dynamic, rapidly evolving circumstances."

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

He stated authorities were not using the instruments they already needed to sort out gun violence, resembling calling people listed as references on gun license purposes.

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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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