BREAKING: Trudeau Liberals officially block Canadians from buying handguns

Canadians will no longer be able to buy, sell, or transfer handguns, nor can they bring newly acquired handguns from elsewhere into the country.

"Fewer guns mean safer communities," the Liberals wrote in a news release, noting that "handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of our plan to protect Canadians from gun violence."

"The national handgun freeze is part of the government’s comprehensive plan to tackle gun violence," they continued. "We have already banned over 1,500 types of assault-style firearms and have strengthened our gun control laws to expand background checks. Bill C-21 proposes further measures to keep guns out of the wrong hands like revoking the firearms licences of those involved in acts of domestic violence or criminal harassment, continuing to fight gun smuggling and trafficking, and providing law enforcement more tools to investigate firearms crimes."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement during a visit to Surrey, BC, a community that has seen more than its share of gun violence.

"Canadians have the right to feel safe in their homes, in their schools, and in their places of worship," he said. "With handgun violence increasing across Canada, it is our duty to take urgent action to remove these deadly weapons from our communities. Today, we’re keeping more guns out of our communities, and keeping our kids safe.”

Many have suggested that while gun violence is a problem in Canada, a national handgun freeze is not the correct solution, as it tends to punish law-abiding gun owners over criminals, who often obtain their weapons illegally in the first place.