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 "nationwide freeze" on the sale and buy of handguns as part of a gun control package deal that will also limit magazine capacities and ban some toys that appear like weapons.

The brand new laws, 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 informed reporters the brand new measures were wanted as gun violence was growing.

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"We want solely look south of the border to know that if we do not take motion firmly and quickly it gets worse and worse and gets more difficult to counter," he mentioned.

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

Authorities do not count on a run on handguns in anticipation of the freeze, partly because they are so heavily regulated already, an official stated in a briefing.

Canada has stronger gun laws than the US however while its gun murder fee is lower than one-fifth the U.S. fee it is greater than that of different rich countries and has been rising. In 2020 it was five occasions Australia's price.

The speed in every of 2020 and 2017 was the nation's highest since a minimum of 1997, in accordance with Statistics Canada.

Canada banned the sale and use of some 1,500 models of assault weapons, like the AR-15 rifle, two years ago in the wake of a mass taking pictures in Portapique, Nova Scotia - a move some firearms owners say they are contesting in court. Talking alongside Trudeau, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino confirmed the "imminent launch of the preliminary part" of a program to purchase back and compensate homeowners of such weapons.

While the Liberals have a minority of seats in Parliament, the laws could cross with the help of the left-leaning New Democratic Get together.

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

It should additionally require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered to allow them to never hold more than 5 rounds and can ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines.

The new laws would also ban some toys that appear like real guns, such as airsoft rifles. Last week Toronto police shot and killed a person carrying a pellet gun. learn more

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

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

He utterly supported a crackdown on fake guns, which he stated were a "massive problem."

"You can't distinguish between what's a duplicate firearm and what's an actual firearm, significantly when these incidences involving reproduction firearms occur typically in very dynamic, quickly evolving circumstances."

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

He stated authorities were not using the tools they already needed to tackle gun violence, comparable to calling individuals listed as references on gun license functions.

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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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