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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities introduced legislation Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as a part of a gun control package deal that would also restrict journal capacities and ban some toys that appear to be weapons.

The brand new legislation, 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 lecturers in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instructed reporters the brand new measures were needed as gun violence was growing.

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"We need solely look south of the border to know that if we don't take motion firmly and rapidly it gets worse and worse and gets harder to counter," he said.

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

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

Canada has stronger gun legislation than the USA however while its gun murder rate is lower than one-fifth the U.S. fee it's increased than that of other rich international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 occasions Australia's price.

The rate in each of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since not less than 1997, in response 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 capturing 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 back and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

Whereas the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws may cross with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Party.

The deliberate legislation would stop anybody topic to a safety order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from obtaining or preserving a firearms license.

It'll also require long-gun magazines to be completely altered so they can by no means hold more than five rounds and will ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

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

"Because they look the same as actual firearms, police must treat 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 Association, welcomed a number of the strikes, such because the "pink flag" provisions within the case of domestic violence, and said he would really like more data on enforcement and resources for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on fake weapons, which he mentioned were a "huge challenge."

"You can not distinguish between what's a replica firearm and what's a real firearm, notably when these incidences involving replica firearms happen usually in very dynamic, shortly evolving circumstances."

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

He said authorities weren't using the tools they already needed to tackle gun violence, resembling calling people listed as references on gun license applications.

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

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