The Canadian government is moving to ban the importation of restricted handguns, effective Aug. 19. Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly announced Friday that the federal government has decided to push ahead with an importation ban without the approval of Parliament, moving to make the policy change through regulatory restrictions.
  •  alyaza [they/she]   ( @alyaza@beehaw.org ) OP
    2•2 years ago

    this measure appears to be a temporary one, in preparation for Canada’s handgun ban which seems to have a provision that permanently solidifies a ban on handgun imports.

    Joly and Mendicino said Friday the coming regulations will effectively speed up aspects of the planned freeze. The move is temporary though, with plans for it to remain in effect only until the previously-promised permanent importation ban is passed in Ottawa.

    “This ban is a stopgap while the handgun freeze in its entirety moves through the parliamentary process, preventing shelves from being restocked in the immediate term,” Joly said.

    as far as i know only the Conservatives (and the unsuccessful People’s Party) are really opposed to this, and these measures are popular in Canada. the country is also in the middle of implementing a weapon buyback program, but that’s focused more on assault-style weapons than handguns.