Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. – Sean Kilpatrick / AP / SIPA
Less than two weeks after the worst killing in Canadian history, Justin Trudeau announced a ban on assault weapons on Friday, honoring a long-awaited campaign pledge in the aftermath of a series of shootings who shocked the country. “These weapons were designed for one purpose only: to kill the greatest number of people as quickly as possible. And they have no use and have no place in Canada, “he said during his daily press conference.
The government has passed a decree banning the use, sale, import and transportation of these military-type assault weapons. “Across the country, many people use firearms legally and responsibly, whether for work or hunting. But you don’t need an AR-15 to shoot a deer, “said Justin Trudeau.
Owners of these “law-abiding” weapons will be able to take advantage of a two-year amnesty to comply with the new regulations, he added.
Shootings are no longer the exception in Canada
Although less frequent than in the United States, shootings are not so exceptional in Canada and they even tend to “happen more often than before,” said the Prime Minister.
“Events like the recent tragedy in Nova Scotia, the attack on the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec in 2017 and the massacre at the École Polytechnique de Montréal in 1989 should never have happened,” said Justin Trudeau. Justin Trudeau made the ban a flagship campaign promise, which brought him to power in 2015.
A gunman disguised as a police officer and driving a replica patrol car sowed death for more than 13 hours on April 18 and 19 in the countryside of south-east Nova Scotia by setting fire to houses and cold-blooded 22 people, before finally being shot by the police. He used several weapons, at least one of which was described by police as a now prohibited assault weapon.
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