Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned Monday that he was introducing laws to impose a “national freeze” on handgun sales, responding to a rise in homicides in his nation and creating a pointy distinction with the gun debate within the U.S.
Trudeau made the announcement at a news convention within the capital, Ottawa, flanked by a number of of his authorities’s ministers.
“We cannot let the guns debate become so polarized that nothing gets done. We cannot let that happen in our country,” Trudeau mentioned.
He mentioned the ban would apply to purchasing, promoting, transferring or importing handguns “anywhere in Canada.”
It wasn’t instantly clear whether or not or when the laws would develop into legislation. Trudeau’s workplace mentioned new rules to “help stop the growth of personally owned handguns in Canada” have been anticipated to come back into drive this fall.
Trudeau additionally introduced a gun buyback program to supply “fair compensation” to the house owners and companies affected by a 2020 legislation banning assault-style firearms.
Trudeau, who’s been prime minister since 2015, described the ban on handgun sales as an try and “cap the market” on handguns and shield bystanders.
“People should be free to go to the supermarket, their school or their place of worship without fear,” he mentioned.
“People should be free to go to the park or to a birthday party without worrying about what might happen from a stray bullet.”
The variety of registered handguns in Canada elevated by 71 p.c from 2010 to 2020, Trudeau’s workplace mentioned in an announcement. Canada reported 743 homicides in 2020, the very best quantity since 1991, and it reported its highest murder fee since 2005.
The U.S. authorities has moved extra slowly to answer gun-related deaths. National proposals to limit the sale of firearms have failed lately, though a bipartisan group of senators did start casual talks final week after capturing rampages in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas.
President Joe Biden mentioned Monday that he hoped to agree with lawmakers on a “rational” response.
Canada’s gun possession fee ranks seventh on the earth, with 34.7 civilian firearms per 100 individuals, in accordance with the Small Arms Survey, an educational analysis group in Geneva, Switzerland.
Canada has no equal of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which the Supreme Court has held ensures Americans’ proper to personal firearms.