Canada announces plans to tighten gun ownership laws

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced the introduction of a bill aimed at tightening gun laws.

The announcement is coming less than a week after a mass shooting at a primary school in the U.S. state of Texas that left 21 people dead.

The new bill introduced by Trudeau’s government aims to end the private possession of handguns, outlawing their sale or purchase and banning handgun imports to Canada.

Anyone found guilty of domestic violence will automatically lose their gun licence.

In addition, the penalties for illegal weapons sales are to be increased.

In Texas, an 18-year-old gunman caused carnage at a primary school last Tuesday.

The rampage in the city of Uvalde has once again fuelled the debate on tightening U.S. gun laws. Republicans in particular have been vehemently opposed to stricter gun regulation for years.

dpa/NAN