The federal government on Monday announced it has tabled legislation that seeks to freeze the buying, selling, importing and trading of handguns nationwide.
The move is among several firearm-control measures in the new Bill C-21, which also targets gun smuggling and trafficking as well as domestic abusers who own firearms, among other restrictions.
The bill will also increase penalties for firearm-related offences. “This is not an easy thing to do, but we all agree it is the responsible thing to do,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said while announcing the new measures. Read more: National handgun ‘freeze’ among new firearm regulations proposed by Ottawa The new bill expands and strengthens the previous Bill C-21, which failed to pass Parliament before the last federal election, and addresses some of the concerns raised by experts and gun safety advocates over that legislation.
Here’s a look at what will happen if the proposed changes become law. The bill would amend the Firearms Act to prevent most individuals from buying, selling or transferring handguns, and chief firearms officers would be prevented from approving the transfer of a handgun to those individuals.