Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says newly tabled gun legislation is overwhelmingly the most effective way to deal with outlawed firearms.
The government says the bill — which will let municipalities ban handguns through bylaws restricting their possession, storage and transportation — will be backed up with serious penalties.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the bill also proposes a buyback of recently banned firearms the government considers assault-style weapons.
The bill would also increase criminal penalties for gun smuggling and trafficking, and give police and border officers added powers to keep illegal firearms out of the country.
