Pistols: Canada offers a complete possession ban
Written byTimes Magazine
Canada should completely ban the buying and selling of all guns, says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The government proposed a new law that would freeze private ownership of all small arms.
Trudeau's proposal comes days after the fatal shooting at a Texas elementary school in the neighboring United States that killed 21 people.
The bill, introduced in Canada's Parliament on Monday, would make buying, selling, transferring, or importing weapons impossible across the country.
"Other than using firearms in shooting and hunting sports, there is no reason for anyone in Canada to need a gun in their everyday life," Trudeau told reporters. "As we see gun violence increase, we must continue to take action," he said.
It is his administration's most ambitious attempt to limit access to firearms.
The bill also requires that rifle cartridges be reconfigured to accommodate no more than five cartridges at a time.
And it would revoke the gun licenses of gun owners involved in domestic violence or criminal abuse.
Unlike the United States, gun ownership is not enshrined in Canada's constitution, but firearms are popular, especially in rural areas.
Canada already has stricter gun control laws than its southern neighbor and has fewer firearm incidents each year.
For example, all guns must remain locked and disassembled, and anyone wishing to purchase a firearm must undergo a thorough inspection.
But in recent years, there have been calls for further tightening of gun laws, especially after a series of deadly shootings.
Within days, Trudeau announced an outright ban on 1,500 different types of military and assault weapons.
The new law will effectively limit the number of guns legally owned in Canada to its current level.
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