Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that his government is introducing legislation to implement national freeze on handgun ownership throughout the country. Speaking at a press conference, Mr Trudeau said, it will no longer be possible to buy, sell, transfer, or import handguns anywhere in Canada. He said, they recognize that the vast majority of gun owners use handguns safely and in accordance with the law, but other than using firearms for sport shooting and hunting, there is no reason anyone in Canada should need guns in their everyday lives.
Canadian Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino said, a mandatory buyback program for “assault-style weapons” will go into effect later this year if the bill passes. He called it Canada’s most significant action on gun violence in a generation. Mr Mendicino said, the first AR-15s and other assault style firearms will start to be bought back by the end of this year.
About 55,000 new handguns have been registered annually in Canada per year over the last decade.
The legislation will also create new red flag laws that will allow courts to remove guns and suspend licenses for people who pose a threat to themselves or others. Magazines that hold more than five rounds will also be banned under the new laws.
In August 2020, a gunman used both rifles and handguns to kill 22 people around Nova Scotia, in what was Canada’s deadliest mass shooting history.
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