Justin Trudeau announces total freeze of handgun buying in Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced a nationwide freeze on handgun purchases, with the leader calling it the government’s “duty” to restrict the sales in order to combat gun violence there.

Trudeau’s office said in a press release on Friday that the government was imposing a “national freeze on the sale, purchase, and transfer of handguns” effective immediately. 

“From now on, people cannot buy, sell, or transfer handguns within Canada, and they cannot bring newly acquired handguns into the country,” the prime minister’s office said.

“We will continue to do whatever it takes to keep guns out of our communities and build a safer country, for everyone,” the announcement declared. 

The government said it would grant exceptions in some cases such as “high-performance sports shooting athletes and those who carry handguns as part of their lawful profession,” as well as “authorized businesses such as gunsmiths, the film industry, or museums.”