ban handguns montreal plante assault weapons

Plante: Bill C-21 should include ban on handguns, mandatory assault weapons buy-back

The federal bill presently includes a voluntary buy-back of banned assault weapons.

During a discussion this morning with Minister of Public Safety Bill Blair, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante addressed the need to improve Bill C-21, the federal gun control legislation announced last week. Plante has requested that handguns be included in the list of banned firearms, and that the assault-weapons buy-back be mandatory rather than voluntary. She also reiterated that federal funding be released immediately in order to implement additional measures to prevent the trafficking of weapons in Montreal neighbourhoods.

Currently, Bill C-21 introduces a buy-back program for firearms that were blacklisted in May, allows municipalities to restrict the storage and transport of handguns and increases criminal penalties for gun smuggling and trafficking.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante has requested that banning handguns be included in Bill C-21, and that the assault-weapons buy-back be mandatory, rather than voluntary.

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