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

OTTAWA, May 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government launched laws Monday to implement a "nationwide freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as a part of a gun control package deal that may additionally restrict magazine capacities and ban some toys that appear like weapons.

The brand new legislation, which resurrects some measures that had been shelved last 12 months amid a national election, comes only a week after a gunman killed 19 kids and two lecturers in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau advised reporters the new measures have been wanted as gun violence was growing.

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"We want only look south of the border to know that if we don't take action firmly and rapidly it gets worse and worse and gets harder to counter," he mentioned.

The handgun freeze would include exceptions, including for elite sport shooters, Olympic athletes and safety guards. Canadians who already personal handguns would be allowed to keep them.

Authorities don't expect a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, in part because they're so closely regulated already, an official mentioned in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun laws than the USA but whereas its gun murder rate is less than one-fifth the U.S. charge it is greater than that of different rich countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was five times Australia's fee.

The speed in every of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since at least 1997, in keeping 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 move some firearms owners say they are contesting in court docket. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial part" of a program to buy again and compensate house owners of such weapons.

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation could pass with the help of the left-leaning New Democratic Social gathering.

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

It's going to also require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered so they can never maintain greater than 5 rounds and can ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

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

"As a result of they give the impression of being the same as actual firearms, police must treat them as if they're real. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti told reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association, welcomed among the moves, such because the "pink flag" provisions in the case of home violence, and said he would love more info on enforcement and resources for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He fully supported a crackdown on faux weapons, which he stated were a "large problem."

"You cannot distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's an actual firearm, particularly 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 stated authorities were not utilizing the instruments they already needed to sort out gun violence, such as calling individuals 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

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