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

OTTAWA, Could 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities introduced legislation Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as part of a gun control bundle that might also limit journal capacities and ban some toys that appear like weapons.

The new laws, which resurrects some measures that have been shelved final year amid a nationwide election, comes only a week after a gunman killed 19 youngsters and two teachers in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

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

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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 will get tougher to counter," he said.

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

Authorities do not expect a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partially 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 rate is lower than one-fifth the U.S. fee it is increased than that of other wealthy international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 occasions Australia's fee.

The rate 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 fashions of assault weapons, like the AR-15 rifle, two years in the past in the wake of a mass taking pictures in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms owners say they are contesting in court docket. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial part" of a program to purchase again and compensate owners of such weapons.

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

The planned legislation would forestall anybody subject to a protection order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from obtaining or holding a firearms license.

It will also require long-gun magazines to be completely altered so they can never maintain more than five rounds and will ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The brand new legal guidelines would additionally ban some toys that seem like actual guns, reminiscent of airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. learn more

"Because they look the identical as actual firearms, police have to treat them as if they are real. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti told reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed a few of the strikes, such as the "pink flag" provisions in the case of domestic violence, and said he would really like more information on enforcement and assets for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He fully supported a crackdown on fake guns, which he stated were a "huge challenge."

"You can't distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's a real firearm, significantly when these incidences involving duplicate firearms happen typically 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 using the tools they already needed to deal with gun violence, equivalent to 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, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

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