Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Surrey on Friday, October 21, to announce the start of a new national freeze on handguns being sold, purchased, or transferred.
“Canadians have the right to feel safe in their homes, in their schools, and in their places of worship,” Trudeau said in a statement. “With handgun violence increasing across Canada, it is our duty to take urgent action to remove these deadly weapons from our communities,” he said.
“Today, we’re keeping more guns out of our communities, and keeping our kids safe.”
Sukhwant Dhillon/Supplied
The legislation immediately stops the sale, transfer, and import of handguns but falls short of an outright ban on handguns. The bill was initially announced in May 2022, just days after more than a dozen students were gunned down in a Texas elementary school.
Minister of Public Safety Marco E. L. Mendicino was also at the announcement.
“Our government is taking Canada’s most significant action on gun violence in a generation,” he said in a statement.
“The national freeze will tackle the alarming role of handguns in crime, gender-based violence, and more. We are using all tools at our disposal to fight gun violence and will not rest until all Canadians feel safe in their communities,” he said.
Update: People can no longer buy, sell, or transfer handguns within Canada – and they cannot bring newly acquired handguns into the country.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 21, 2022
The prime minister was in Surrey for the announcement, and he was later spotted in Delta at an Indian restaurant.