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

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

The new laws, which resurrects some measures that were shelved last 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 had been wanted as gun violence was increasing.

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"We need solely look south of the border to know that if we don't take action firmly and quickly it will get worse and worse and gets harder to counter," he stated.

The handgun freeze would contain exceptions, including for elite sport shooters, Olympic athletes and safety guards. Canadians who already own handguns can be allowed to maintain them.

Authorities do not anticipate a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, in part as a result of they're so closely regulated already, an official mentioned in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun legislation than the United States but while its gun homicide fee is less than one-fifth the U.S. price it's increased than that of other rich international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 instances Australia's price.

The rate in every of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since at least 1997, according to Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 fashions of assault weapons, just like the AR-15 rifle, two years ago within the wake of a mass taking pictures in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms owners say they're contesting in courtroom. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial part" of a program to buy back and compensate owners of such weapons.

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the legislation may move with the help of the left-leaning New Democratic Occasion.

The deliberate legislation would stop anyone subject to a safety order or who has engaged in home 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 can ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The new laws would additionally ban some toys that look like actual weapons, comparable to airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. learn more

"Because they give the impression of being the same as real firearms, police have to deal with them as if they are actual. 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 moves, such because the "purple flag" provisions in the case of domestic violence, and mentioned he would like extra data on enforcement and sources for measures such as the handgun freeze.

He fully supported a crackdown on faux weapons, which he said have been a "large problem."

"You can't distinguish between what's a replica firearm and what's an actual firearm, notably when these incidences involving replica firearms happen usually in very dynamic, rapidly evolving circumstances."

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

He stated authorities were not utilizing the tools they already needed to deal with gun violence, equivalent to calling individuals listed as references on gun license purposes.

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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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