TORONTO ( Associated Press) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government on Monday introduced legislation that would prohibit the import, purchase or sale of handguns.
Trudeau said, ‘We are limiting the number of guns in this country.
The halt to the development of personally owned handguns is expected to come into force this fall.
“It would be illegal to buy, sell, transfer or import handguns anywhere in Canada,” the prime minister said.
Canada already has plans to ban 1,500 types of military-style firearms and offer a mandatory buyback program that will begin at the end of the year. It has already expanded background checks.
Trudeau has long had plans for stricter gun laws, but the introduction of the new measure follows mass shootings this month in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, NY.
Bill Blair, Minister of Emergency Preparedness, said Canada is very different from the United States.
“In Canada, gun ownership is a privilege, not a right,” Blair said. “It’s a principal that sets itself apart from many other countries in the world, especially our allies and friends in the South. In Canada, guns are only used for hunting and sporting purposes.”
The lack of easy access to guns has resulted in far fewer mass shootings in Canada than in the US, although the US population is also far greater than that of Canada.
Blair noted guns are often smuggled illegally from the US, which he noted has one of the largest small arms arsenals in the world.
The government plans to fight gun smuggling and smuggling by increasing criminal penalties, providing more tools to investigate firearms crimes, and strengthening border measures. Trudeau said the increased funding has helped border officials double the amount of smuggled guns confiscated at the US border.
The government also said that the bill would also allow for the removal of gun licenses from people pursuing domestic violence or criminal harassment such as stalking.
The bill would create a new “red flag” law that would require courts to require that people, themselves or others, hand over their firearms to the police. The government said the measure would protect the security of those applying through the process, often women at risk of domestic abuse, by protecting their identities.
The government said rifle magazines would be required to be replaced permanently so that they never exceed five rounds, and banned the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines under the Criminal Code.
“Canada can teach us a lot,” tweeted Bruce Heyman, former US ambassador to Canada under the Obama administration.
Trudeau said his government recognizes most Canadians who own guns, but the level of gun violence is unacceptable. “This is a concrete and genuine national step towards keeping the Canadian people safe,” Trudeau said.
The new measures are assured of passage in Canada’s parliament as the ruling liberals and leftist opposition New Democrats have enough votes.
Pierre Poilievre, who is running to become leader of the Conservative Party, said law-abiding gun owners should be respected and dangerous criminals should be jailed.
