Feds propose freeze on handguns in new gun control bill

The Canadian government introduced new gun control legislation Monday, including a national freeze on handguns.

“What this means is that it will no longer be possible to buy, sell, transfer or import handguns anywhere in Canada,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters during a media conference.

The bill doesn’t ban handguns outright. It’s also unclear how long the freeze on handguns would last.

The new bill also would take away gun licences from people who were involved in acts of domestic violence or criminal harassment, including stalking.

“We recognize that the vast majority of gun owners use them safely and in accordance with the law,” Trudeau said. “But other than using firearms for sport shooting and hunting, there is no reason anyone in Canada should need guns in their every-day lives.”

The government is looking to counter gun smuggling and trafficking by increasing criminal penalties, giving law enforcement personnel more tools to investigate gun-related crimes, and strengthening border measures.

The bill also would create a new “red flag” law to give courts the power to require that people who are considered a danger to themselves or others to surrender their firearms to police.

The government says the measure would guard the safety of those applying through the process, often women in danger of domestic abuse, by protecting their identities.

“As we see gun violence continue to rise, it is our duty to keep taking action …,” Trudeau said. “At the end of the day, the math is really quite simple: The fewer the guns in our communities, the safer everyone will be.”

The Liberals’ legislation also will force the permanent alteration of long-gun magazines so they can’t hold more than five rounds, and will create a ban on the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines under the Criminal Code.

— With files from The Canadian Press