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

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

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

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

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"We want only look south of the border to know that if we do not take action firmly and rapidly it gets worse and worse and will get tougher to counter," he stated.

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

Authorities don't anticipate a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partly because they are so heavily regulated already, an official mentioned in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun legislation than america however while its gun homicide rate is less than one-fifth the U.S. charge it's higher than that of different rich international locations and has been rising. In 2020 it was 5 times Australia's charge.

The rate in each of 2020 and 2017 was the country's highest since a minimum of 1997, in keeping with Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 models of assault weapons, like the AR-15 rifle, two years in the past in the wake of a mass capturing in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a transfer some firearms owners say they are contesting in courtroom. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary phase" of a program to purchase again and compensate house owners of such weapons.

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws might pass with the help of the left-leaning New Democratic Celebration.

The planned legislation would stop anyone topic to a protection order or who has engaged in home violence or stalking from acquiring or retaining a firearms license.

It'll additionally require long-gun magazines to be completely altered so they can by no means hold more than 5 rounds and can ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The brand new laws would additionally ban some toys that seem like real weapons, reminiscent of airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. learn extra

"Because they give the impression of being the same as real firearms, police must treat them as if they're actual. This has led to tragic consequences," Justice Minister David Lametti advised reporters.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association, welcomed among the moves, such as the "red flag" provisions within the case of home violence, and stated he would love extra info on enforcement and sources for measures such because the handgun freeze.

He completely supported a crackdown on pretend guns, which he mentioned have been a "huge challenge."

"You can not distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's a real firearm, significantly when these incidences involving duplicate firearms occur often in very dynamic, rapidly evolving circumstances."

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

He mentioned authorities were not utilizing the tools they already had to tackle gun violence, equivalent to calling individuals 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

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