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

OTTAWA, May 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities launched laws Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as part of a gun management bundle that would also limit journal capacities and ban some toys that look like weapons.

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

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

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"We want solely look south of the border to know that if we don't take motion firmly and rapidly it will get worse and worse and will get tougher to counter," he mentioned.

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

Authorities don't count on a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partly as a result of they're so closely regulated already, an official said in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun laws than america but whereas its gun murder price is lower than one-fifth the U.S. fee it is higher than that of other rich nations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 instances Australia's charge.

The rate in every of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since not less than 1997, in line 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 within the wake of a mass taking pictures in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms homeowners say they are contesting in courtroom. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the initial section" of a program to buy again and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

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

The planned legislation would prevent anyone topic to a protection order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from obtaining or protecting a firearms license.

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

The brand new legal guidelines would additionally ban some toys that appear like actual weapons, such as airsoft rifles. Final week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. read more

"As a result of they appear the identical as real firearms, police have to treat them as if they're real. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti instructed reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Affiliation, welcomed a few of the moves, such because the "purple flag" provisions within the case of home violence, and stated he would like more information on enforcement and assets for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He utterly supported a crackdown on pretend weapons, which he mentioned had been a "huge challenge."

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

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

He stated authorities were not utilizing the tools they already needed to deal with gun violence, reminiscent of calling folks listed as references on gun license functions.

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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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