Canada bans assault-style weapons after mass shooting
- Twenty-two people were killed in Nova Scotia last month during a gunman’s rampage
- Trade in military-style firearms, including the AR-15, is no longer allowed, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday said that Canada is banning the use and trade of assault-style weapons immediately.
Trudeau cited numerous mass shootings in the country, including the killing of 22 people in Nova Scotia on April 18 and 19. He announced the ban of over 1,500 models and variants of assault-style firearms, including the AR-15 and other weapons that have been used in a number of mass shootings in the United States
“Canadians need more than thoughts and prayers,” Trudeau said, referring to a commonly used refrain by politicians and public figures in such crises.
The Cabinet order does not forbid owning any of the military-style weapons and their variants but it does ban the use and trade of them. He said the order has a two-year amnesty period for current owners, and there will be a compensation programme that will require a bill passed in parliament.
In the meantime, they can be exported, returned to manufacturers and transported only to deactivate them or get rid of them. In certain limited circumstances, they can be used for hunting.
“You do not need an AR-15 to take down a deer,” Trudeau said. “So, effective immediately, it is no longer permitted to buy, sell, transport, import or use military-grade, assault weapons in this country.”