Canada considers gun control bill

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced legislation Monday that would keep people from importing, buying, or selling handguns anywhere in Canada. The bill would allow police to revoke gun licenses from people involved in acts of domestic violence or criminal harassment, such as stalking. The proposal would also expand red flag laws. Canadians would still be allowed to own handguns they have already bought, but they could not transfer the weapons to someone else. The bill would take effect this fall if parliament passes it.

Why now? Trudeau had already planned to enact gun control measures this year, but after the shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 21 last week, he said immediate legislation was necessary. Canada plans to ban 1,500 types of military-style firearms and offer a mandatory buyback program that will begin at the end of the year. Bill Blair, minister of emergency preparedness, said that guns are often illegally brought into Canada from the U.S., so the government also plans to increase criminal penalties for gun smuggling.

Dig deeper: Read Mark Tooley’s article in WORLD Opinions on God and guns.