Canadian PM Trudeau Bans All Assault-Style Firearms
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a ban on all assault-style firearms Friday.
The ban includes "1,500 models and variants," including the popular AR-15 rifle. It will prohibit those firearms, as well as some components, from being used, sold or imported.
According to a release from the Canadian government, the ban will not take full effect for another two years in order "to protect owners of newly prohibited firearms from criminal liability while they take steps to comply with these new rules." There are also exceptions until April 30, 2022, for people in indigenous communities and for those who hunt to sustain themselves or their families. But ultimately all items on the list will be banned.
Trudeau's order comes just two weeks after the mass shooting in which a gunman killed 22 people in Nova Scotia.
"Because of gun violence, people are dying, families are grieving, and communities are suffering," Trudeau said. "It must end. Assault-style firearms designed for military use have no place in Canada. By removing them from our streets, we will limit the devastating effects of gun-related violence and help make our country safer."
The Canadian government stated in the release that it plans to implement a buy-back plan for the weapons listed as soon as possible. [Copyright 2020 NPR]
