The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau introduced a prohibition of military grade assault weapons after the nation saw its worst ever gun massacre in April 2020.
The move comes less than two weeks after a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 22 people on April 18th and 19th, which turned out to be Canada’s deadliest mass shooting in its modern history.
The new regulations would make it illegal to use, sell, import, or transport about 1,500 models and variants of military grade assault weapons. While the ban is effective immediately, law-abiding gun owners will have an amnesty period of two years to comply with these new regulations.
“You don’t need an AR-15 to bring down a deer,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference in Ottawa. “So, effective immediately, it is no longer permitted to buy, sell, transport, import or use military-grade assault weapons in this country.”
“These weapons were designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time,” he said. “There is no use — and no place — for such weapons in Canada.”
Among the models being banned are M16, AR-10, AR-15 rifles and M4 carbine, Ruger Mini-14 rifle, US Rifle M14, Vz58 rifle and CZ858 rifle, Robinson Armament XCR rifle, CZ Scorpion EVO 3 carbine and pistol, Beretta Cx4 Storm carbine, SIG Sauer SIG MCX and SIG Sauer SIG MPX carbines and pistols, and Swiss Arms Classic Green and Four Seasons series rifles.
A post was also put up from the official Twitter handle of the Prime Minister.
Assault-style firearms designed for military use have no place in our communities. That’s why we banned 1,500 of them today. Get the details here: https://t.co/8EEsbW7qdf
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) May 1, 2020
Trudeau also said that the government would introduce a law to offer the buying of such weapons.
This is certainly a welcome move by the Trudeau government to ensure safety of its citizens. Do you agree? Let us know your views in the comments section below.
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