OTTAWA — Key elements of the Liberal government's firearms-control announcement Monday:
— A national freeze on importing, buying, selling or otherwise transferring handguns, with very limited exceptions;
— Automatic removal of gun licences from people committing domestic violence or criminal harassment, such as stalking;
— Increase maximum penalties for gun smuggling and trafficking to 14 years from 10;
— Authorize disclosure of information about gun licence holders to police if reasonable grounds to believe licence is being used for straw purchasing and firearms trafficking;
— A new "red flag" law allowing courts to require that people considered a danger to themselves or others surrender their firearms to police, including measure to guard the safety of those applying through the process — often women in danger of domestic abuse — by protecting their identities;
— Require long-gun magazines to be permanently altered so they can never hold more than five rounds, as well as ban the sale and transfer of large-capacity magazines under the Criminal Code;
— Create an offence for a business that promotes or depicts violence against a person in firearms advertising.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2022.
The Canadian Press
