OTTAWA, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino announced on Wednesday more stringent rules governing the sale or transfer of non-restricted firearms.
"We are bringing into force common sense regulations that strengthen public safety through validated ownership, transparent business records keeping, and licence verification prior to purchasing a firearm," said Mendicino in a news release.
Effective on May 18, 2022, individuals and businesses transferring or selling a non-restricted firearm in Canada will need to confirm the recipient's identity and check the validity of their firearms licence with the Registrar of Firearms prior to completing the transfer, including by providing the recipient's licence number and any other information requested.
According to the new rules, firearms businesses will also be required to retain sales and inventory records related to non-restricted firearms, as was the case until 2005. This will make it easier for law enforcement to trace crime guns. The records will be held by businesses, not government, and the police will need reasonable grounds to get access to them, often with judicial authorization.
"The new regulations will help ensure that firearms do not end up in the wrong hands, assist police in tracing guns used in crime, and are part of the broader strategy to keep communities safe," Mendicino said.
The Canadian government has banned assault-style firearms and strengthened protections at the borders to fight gun crime. According to Firearms Public Awareness Research revealed in 2021, 25 percent of Canadian households contain at least one firearm and 47 percent of Canadians felt gun violence is a threat to their community. ■
