Canada: Queues at gun shops – “We sold 100 pistols in three days”

The Prime Minister of Canada announced a few days ago that a draft law would be drafted to “be suspended nationally the possession of a firearmFollowing a series of recent shootings using firearms in neighboring US. This caused great concern to the residents, who ran to buy pistols before being imposed freeze in their sales.

According to the Athenian News Agency, Aman Santou was going from a gun shop to a gun shop in British Columbia, Canada, to buy a pistol before it is imposed freeze on handgun salesas requested by the Prime Minister Justin Trinto last week. “I worry. “If I do not buy now, the opportunity may never be presented again,” Mr Santou told AFP.

The Prime Minister of Canada announced a few days ago that a draft law would be drafted to “suspended in national level the possession of a firearm». Of course, the plan will have to be approved by parliament, where Mr Trinto’s Liberal Party is in the minority.

Although the Mr. Santou wants to buy a pistolfears at the same time that it will face severe restrictions, as the Canadian law provides for severe penalties even for relatively small omissions.

“If I do anything stupid, my other weapons may be in danger,” he says.

In British Columbia, quite aShops saw the queues grow longer at their doors just hours after the prime minister announced last week. Across Canada, pistol shops have seen their stock run out in a matter of days.

“Sales were very fast”, explained Jen Lavigne, co-owner of the Hunting Store, in a mall on the outskirts of the capital.

“We sold 100 pistols, almost our entire stockinto three days after the prime minister announced the (planned) “freeze” of sales, he added, pointing to the almost empty shelves.

“Panic”

Similarly at DoubleTap Sports, Toronto. According to its owner, Josko Kovic, the government’s announcement “caused panic and people rushed to buy pistols immediately”.

“Almost all the stores have run out of stock, including mine,” he added. According to government estimates, there are approximately one million pistols in Canada, out of a total population of 38 million. Some 2,500 stores sell pistols in the country.

Today, a firearms license, issued with strict criteria, is required to purchase a pistol. Most also need a special permit to transport them from one part of Canada to another, and must be housed in a safe case.

Shooting ranges are one of the few places where they can be used legally.

The prime minister’s plan, announced after the 21-year-old Texas primary school and 10-year-old New York attacks, says it will no longer be possible to buy, sell, transport or import pistols anywhere in Canada.

It may enter into force in the autumn, and at the same time is expected to crack down on the US arms trade at the border.

“Firearms violence is a complex problem,” he said. .

Bankruptcies?

According to government figures, pistols were used in almost two-thirds of all crimes committed with firearms in Canadian cities over the past decade.

At the Hunting Store, David, who bought a new pistol, speculated that the new restrictions were being added to the pre-existing ones, which were already extremely strict.

“It’s ridiculous,” he says. “It takes two months to get a license (to carry a weapon) even if you have all the required documents,” such as a white criminal record in particular, he added.

Asked about this by the French Agency, the shopkeepers unanimously criticized Justin Trinto’s announcement to freeze the sales of pistols.

“This measure will do nothing but harm the rightful owners of weapons,” Ms Lavin said, adding that “it will not reduce crime because criminals do not obey the law” anyway.

Daryl Tomlinson, owner of the Canadian Gun Guys in Winnipeg, is worried about the future of his gun shop and shooting range.

“The pistol measure will destroy jobs and tear communities apart,” he said. “We have demand now,” he added, “but I’m afraid we will go bankrupt in the fall.”