Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has imposed an immediate countrywide ban on firearms’ sale, purchase, and transfer.
The handgun ban is the latest in a long-running debate between Canadian legislators over gun control legislation. Legislators are discussing whether to adopt a bill submitted in May that would be one of the most stringent pieces of gun control legislation in decades. The new handgun ban is an “immediate action” announced by the Trudeau administration as the debate over the bill continues.
“When people are being killed, when people are being hurt, responsible leadership requires us to act,” Trudeau said at a news conference on Friday, announcing the new measure. “Recently, again, we have seen too many examples of horrific tragedies involving firearms.”
It is now illegal to transport recently obtained handguns into Canada, prohibiting handgun sales. Gun control advocates are ecstatic with the freeze and applauded the quick move.
“Reducing the proliferation of handguns is one important example of the evidence-based measures Canada needs to reduce gun violence and save lives,” Canadian Doctors for Protection from Guns tweeted in response to the news.
However, the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights claims that tougher gun laws do not reduce gun violence.
Although the number of violent fatalities by weapons in Canada is still a fraction of that in the United States, shootings are increasing. Following one of Canada’s bloodiest massacres in history two years ago, Trudeau began gradually pushing gun regulations. In 2020, the prime minister prohibited 1,500 assault-style guns and AR-15 rifle variations.
“Our goal, over time, is to see the amount of handguns, in our communities, reduced,” Trudeau said at Friday’s news conference.