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

OTTAWA, Might 30 (Reuters) - Canada's authorities introduced legislation Monday to implement a "national freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns as part of a gun control package that may additionally limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that look like guns.

The brand new laws, which resurrects some measures that were shelved final yr amid a national election, comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 children and two lecturers of their classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instructed reporters the brand new measures were wanted as gun violence was growing.

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

The handgun freeze would comprise exceptions, together with for elite sport shooters, Olympic athletes and safety guards. Canadians who already personal handguns would be allowed to keep 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 said in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun laws than the USA however whereas its gun murder price is lower than one-fifth the U.S. price it's larger than that of different wealthy countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was five times Australia's price.

The speed in each of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since not less than 1997, in accordance with Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 fashions of assault weapons, like the AR-15 rifle, two years ago within the wake of a mass taking pictures in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms house owners say they're contesting in courtroom. Speaking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary section" 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 go with the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Social gathering.

The planned laws would forestall anyone topic to a protection order or who has engaged in domestic violence or stalking from acquiring or keeping a firearms license.

It'll additionally require long-gun magazines to be completely altered so they can never hold greater than five rounds and will ban the sale and switch of large-capacity magazines.

The new laws would additionally ban some toys that appear like actual weapons, similar to airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a man carrying a pellet gun. learn extra

"Because they appear the identical as real firearms, police have to treat them as if they are real. This has led to tragic penalties," Justice Minister David Lametti informed reporters.

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

He completely supported a crackdown on fake guns, which he mentioned have been a "large problem."

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

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

He mentioned authorities weren't using the instruments they already had to sort out gun violence, akin 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, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard Pullin

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