Canada says no to arms sales
The new law is the toughest in decades.
On Friday, Oct. 21, Canada passed some of the strictest gun control measures in more than 40 years.
The fight against firearms in this country has been going on for a long time. In 2020, banned 1,500 models of firearms were banned, and in May 2022 a new C-21 firearms control bill was adopted. Also, since August, it has been illegal to import short-barreled firearms into Canada.
Although Bill C-21 is still being debated in Parliament, a provision went into effect on October 21 prohibiting the purchase, sale, and transfer of handguns in Canada, as well as their importation from abroad.
According to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, such measures are necessary to stop gun violence. According to official Canadian statistics, guns are used in 60% of armed crimes.
The new measures involve very few exceptions. Thus, professional athletes in the field of sport shooting and those whose profession involves carrying weapons will be able to own guns. Also, applications for the purchase, sale, and transfer of guns, which were submitted before October 21, will continue to be considered.
A bill is now being drafted in Canada to impose a complete moratorium on revolvers and handguns. Opinions on this are divided among the authorities. For example, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino of Canada considers these actions the most significant in the fight against violence and wants the bill passed as soon as possible. In contrast, Alberta's Justice Minister Tyler Shandro said that all of these actions have a negative impact on law-abiding gun owners.
