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

OTTAWA, May 30 (Reuters) - Canada's government introduced laws Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as part of a gun management package deal that may additionally limit journal capacities and ban some toys that appear to be weapons.

The brand new laws, which resurrects some measures that have been shelved final 12 months amid a national election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 kids and two academics in their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau informed reporters the brand new measures had been needed as gun violence was increasing.

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"We'd like solely look south of the border to know that if we don't take motion firmly and quickly it will get worse and worse and will get more difficult to counter," he mentioned.

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

Authorities don't 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 however while its gun homicide rate is lower than one-fifth the U.S. rate it's larger than that of other wealthy international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 instances Australia's rate.

The rate in each of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since no less than 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 within the wake of a mass capturing in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms homeowners say they're contesting in courtroom. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial phase" 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 cross with the help of the left-leaning New Democratic Occasion.

The deliberate laws would forestall anyone topic to a safety order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from acquiring or retaining a firearms license.

It would additionally require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered so they can never maintain more than 5 rounds and will ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

The new legal guidelines would also ban some toys that appear to be actual weapons, comparable to airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. learn extra

"Because they appear the identical as actual firearms, police have to deal with them as if they are actual. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti advised reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed some of the strikes, such as the "purple flag" provisions in the case of home violence, and mentioned he would love more data on enforcement and assets for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on pretend weapons, which he stated have been a "huge problem."

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

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

He stated authorities weren't using the tools they already had to tackle gun violence, comparable to calling folks listed as references on gun license applications.

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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 Ideas.