The federal government is moving to ban the use, sale and importation of 15 hundred different types of assault grade weapons.

Speaking in Ottawa, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says the move, effective immediately, is not meant to target legal gun owners.

He says nothing they are doing today, or will do in the future, is intended to interfere with the lawful, responsible, activities of hunters, farmers and target shooters. However, he says they are ending the availability of weapons that were not designed for hunting or for target shooting.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says these weapons were designed for one purpose only: To kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time.

There will be a 2 year amnesty period, and the government says it will legislate fair compensation.

An Angus Reid survey finds that four in five Canadians support a complete ban on civilian possession of assault style weapons. Two in three support a ban on handguns. Two-thirds of people strongly support such a move, giving federal policy makers a clear mandate to go forward, according to the pollster . It also says that endorsement for the change transcends political and regional divides, although a slight majority, 55 per cent, of current gun owners oppose it. Angus Reid thinks there would still be significant push-back against the government implementing new legislation because nearly half of Canadians say current gun control laws are either too strict or about right.

[cjgx/gw may 1 2020]