“These are the strongest measures to fight the armed violence our country has ever seen,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference Tuesday in the capital, Ottawa.
The legislation, which would still take months to become law, also introduces a voluntary repurchase program of 150,000 to 200,000 legal-style assault weapons in Canada. Owners of now-banned firearms may still choose to retain them, although they could no longer use them as weapons and would be subject to strict licensing and storage laws.
Mayors are looking for a solution to make armed violence worse
Trudeau acknowledged that there will be political consequences for both sides of the arms control debate. The mayors of Canada’s two largest cities, Toronto and Montreal, have championed the national ban on guns as gun violence worsens in those cities.
In a statement obtained by CNN, Toronto Mayor John Tory said city staff are reviewing the proposed new set of laws and that the city welcomes the federal government’s efforts to curb gun violence. But Tory also reaffirmed his city’s support for the national gun ban.
“Toronto City Council has made it clear that it supports the national ban on firearms. The federal government has said the changes announced today will allow municipalities to ban guns and include federal sanctions for those who violate local statutes. The city expects to receive details from the Government of Canada on how this ban would work and what its impact would be on gun violence, “Tory said in a statement.
Federal government officials said cities cannot act alone and that provincial governments, several of which have indicated they do not support the gun ban, will have maximum jurisdiction.
Law enforcement officials say random armed violence in Canadian cities continues to worsen, with deaths increasingly related to gang violence.
A teenager was killed in a shooting earlier this month in Montreal, prompting the mayor to call for a national handgun ban again.
“Obviously, there are political elements, but the core of why we do it, the core of why Canadians want to do this, is to keep our communities safe. In Canada people can use guns for hunting and sport shooting, not for people And there is no need for military-style assault weapons anywhere in this country, ”said Trudeau.
In his press conference, Trudeau highlighted a key component of the new set of laws, the “red flag” and “yellow flag” provisions. He said they would help combat gender-based and gender-based violence by allowing people to ask the courts to order the removal of a person’s firearm or suspend the gun license.
Neither side happy
Proponents of gun control noted that while the proposed legislation is exhaustive, it does not go far enough.
“This is imperfect legislation, but a very Canadian approach to tackling a complex problem,” Dr. Philip Berger, a senior adviser to Canadian doctors for gun protection, said in a statement. He added: “To make the necessary additional changes, 80% of Canadians who support gun control need political parties other than the Liberals to step up and be accountable.”
If passed, the new law would also prohibit the alteration of the cartridge component of a firearm and prohibit representations of violence in firearms advertising. There would be stricter restrictions on ammunition imports and a ban on importing, exporting, selling and transferring all replica firearms.
The Conservative Party of Canada denounced the proposed legislation, saying it penalizes lawful gun owners and does not adequately address the issue of weapons being moved to Canada from the United States.
“I think Mr. Trudeau is misleading people when he tries to suggest that repurchasing things from hunters and other law-abiding Canadians will somehow solve the problem of shooting and criminal gang activity in big cities. It’s ignoring. the real problem and is dividing Canadians, “Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole said at a news conference Tuesday.
In detailed technical information, the government stated that it would continue to combat smuggling and arms trafficking by intensifying enforcement and increasing sanctions. The Trudeau government has also said it will contact the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden to find new ways to cooperate on arms smuggling issues at the border.