Decree bans sale of assault weapons

TORONTO — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday that Canada is banning the use and trade of assaultstyle weapons immediately.

Trudeau cited numerous mass shootings in the country, including the killing of 22 people in Nova Scotia April 18 and 19. He announced the ban of over 1,500 models and variants of assaultstyle firearms, including the AR15 and other weapons that have been used in a number of mass shootings in the United States.

“Canadians need more than thoughts and prayers,” Trudeau said.

The Cabinet order doesn’t forbid owning any of the militarystyle weapons and their variants but it does ban the trade in them. He said the order has a twoyear amnesty period for current owners, and there will be a compensation program that will require a bill passed in Parliament.

In the meantime, they can be exported, returned to manufacturers, or transported only to deactivate them or get rid of them. In certain limited circumstances, they can be used for hunting.

“You do not need an AR15 to take down a deer,” Trudeau said. “So, effective immediately, it is no longer permitted to buy, sell, transport, import or use militarygrade assault weapons in this country.”

He said the weapons were designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time.

“As of today the market for assault weapons is closed. Enough is enough,” Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said.