Canada Passes Their Strictest Gun Laws Yet

By Ophelia Garrett

In Brief: 

Canada has officially enacted their strictest handgun ban yet, with a freeze on all handgun sales. Canada has stricter gun laws than the U.S., and the country does not have a constitutional right to bear arms. And yet, Canada still has record-setting gun violence despite strict regulation. 

The Background: 

The ban will bar anyone from buying, selling or transferring handguns within Canada, and it will stop people from bringing new handguns into the country. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in an announcement:

"Canadians have the right to feel safe in their homes, in their schools, and in their places of worship. With handgun violence increasing across Canada, it is our duty to take urgent action to remove these deadly weapons from our communities. Today, we’re keeping more guns out of our communities, and keeping our kids safe."

Canada has some of the strictest gun control laws, yet one of the highest violence by gun rankings in first world countries, behind the U.S. 

Notable Quotes: 

"The federal government's real goal is to scapegoat handgun owners and use wedge politics to appeal to a narrow base of voters who wish to see legal firearm ownership in this country eliminated entirely." – Tyler Shandro, Alberta's Minister of Justice