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

OTTAWA, Might 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government introduced legislation Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as a part of a gun management package deal that would also limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that appear like weapons.

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

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau advised reporters the new measures were wanted as gun violence was rising.

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"We want only look south of the border to know that if we do not take motion firmly and quickly it gets worse and worse and gets tougher to counter," he stated.

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

Authorities don't count on 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 the US but whereas its gun murder price is less than one-fifth the U.S. charge it is greater than that of different wealthy countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 instances Australia's charge.

The speed in every of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since at least 1997, based on 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 shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms owners say they are contesting in courtroom. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary phase" of a program to purchase back and compensate owners of such weapons.

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws might move with the help of the left-leaning New Democratic Party.

The planned legislation would forestall anyone subject to a safety order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from acquiring or protecting a firearms license.

It's going to additionally require long-gun magazines to be completely altered so they can never hold more than five rounds and can ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

The brand new legal guidelines would also ban some toys that appear to be real guns, similar to airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. learn more

"Because they appear the same as actual firearms, police have to deal with them as if they're actual. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti told reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed some of the strikes, such because the "red flag" provisions within 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 fake weapons, which he mentioned have been a "massive problem."

"You can't distinguish between what's a duplicate 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 head of the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights, mentioned the handgun freeze was "absurd."

He stated authorities weren't utilizing the tools they already had to sort out gun violence, similar to 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, Modifying by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Rules.