Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is banning “military grade assault weapons” in Canada.
“Effective immediately, it is no longer permitted to buy, sell, transport, import or use military grade assault weapons in this country,” says the Prime Minister.
A list of 1,500 models and variants of these firearms has been compiled.
“These weapons were designed for one purpose and one purpose only,” adds Trudeau. “To kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time. There is no use and no place for such weapons in Canada.”
Trudeau acknowledged firearms are a part of family traditions for many Canadians, including the indigenous.
“The vast majority of gun owners use them safely, responsibly and in accordance with the law,” he adds. “Whether it be for work, sports shooting, collecting or for hunting. But you don’t need an AR-15 to bring down a deer.”
The federal government has put a buy-back program in place.
There will be a two year amnesty period to protect “law-abiding gun-owners from criminal liability until they can take steps to comply”.
Trudeau says the government will legislate fair compensation.
The ban follows Canada’s worst mass shooting in history, killing 22 in Nova Scotia.
