May 30, 2022 - World

Justin Trudeau introduces strict gun control on handguns in Canada

Photo: Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wants to freeze the sale, importation and transfer of handguns in Canada, he told reporters Monday.

The big picture: This isn't a full ban, but it will significantly restrict the number of handguns in circulation, CBC reports.

  • "In other words, we're capping the market for handguns," he said at a press conference.
  • "Other than using firearms for sport shooting and hunting, there is no reason anyone in Canada should need guns in their everyday lives."

Between the lines: Canada has stricter gun laws than the U.S., and it does not guarantee a constitutional right to bear arms.

New rules were proposed in Canada's Parliament today that include, CBC reports:

  • Limits on the size of magazines
  • Harsher criminal penalties for trafficking guns
  • A "red flag" gun control law
  • Stripping firearm licenses from people involved with domestic violence

Flashback: Trudeau introduced rules banning the AR-15 and other semi-automatic rifles in 2020, after a mass shooting spree in Nova Scotia.

  • In March, Canada said it would add another year to an "amnesty" period while officials set up mandatory buyback programs, CBC reports.
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