Canada introduces new firearm-control bill to freeze handguns

Ottawa: The Canadian ruling party has tabled a new firearm-control bill which features a national freeze on importing, buying, selling or otherwise transferring handguns, local media reported. CTV News on Tuesday reported that the measure does not ban handguns outright, allowing current owners to continue to possess and use them, but seeks to cap the […]

Ottawa: The Canadian ruling party has tabled a new firearm-control bill which features a national freeze on importing, buying, selling or otherwise transferring handguns, local media reported.

CTV News on Tuesday reported that the measure does not ban handguns outright, allowing current owners to continue to possess and use them, but seeks to cap the number in the country.

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The number of registered handguns in Canada increased 71 per cent between 2010 and 2020, reaching nearly 1.1 million, according to federal statistics.

Handguns were the most serious weapon present in the majority of firearm-related violent crimes between 2009 and 2020, CTV News reported.

According to the report, the bill, readied by the federal Liberals, will allow for the automatic removal of gun licences from people who commit domestic violence or engage in criminal harassment such as stalking, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Liberals plan to fight gun smuggling and trafficking by increasing criminal penalties, providing more tools to investigate firearm crimes and strengthening border measures.

The Liberals also say they will require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered so they can never hold more than five rounds, as well as ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines under the Criminal Code.

The new bill arrives amid intense debate about gun safety in Canada and the US following an elementary school shooting that killed 19 children and two adults in Uvalde in US state of Texas last week.

Earlier in May, 10 black people were gunned down at a supermarket in Buffalo in US state of New York.

Under the government’s plan, chief firearms officers would be prevented from approving the transfer of a handgun to individuals.

Businesses could continue to sell to other businesses, such as movie companies and museums, as well as to exempted people.

Exempted individuals would include those who transport valuable goods and elite sport shooters who compete or coach in handgun events recognised by the international Olympic or Paralympic committees.

Two years ago, the government announced a ban on more than 1,500 models and variants of what it considers assault-style firearms.

The Liberals plan to introduce a mandatory buyback program to offer compensation to affected owners and businesses, CTV News reported.