The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the National Day Against Gun Violence:

“Last year, we made the first Friday of each June the National Day Against Gun Violence. Today, on its first commemoration, we are raising awareness about gun violence prevention, remembering the lives we lost, and advancing our work to make communities safer.

“We’re taking generational action to stop gun violence. In December, we passed the toughest gun and handgun control legislation in Canada’s history. We’re increasing penalties for gun smuggling and trafficking, implementing a national freeze on handguns, taking away firearms from those perpetrating domestic violence, and giving police and border services more tools to tackle these crime networks.

“Weapons made for the battlefield have no place in our communities. That’s why, in 2020, we banned over 1,500 models of assault-style firearms and their variants. With new investments in our buyback program through Budget 2024, we’re taking them off our streets. And through the Building Safer Communities Fund, we’re addressing the root causes of gun violence to prevent crime before it starts and supporting at-risk youth. We will do whatever it takes to make our communities safer and more prosperous.

“Today, as we remember the victims and all those who have been affected by gun violence, I invite Canadians to learn more about what we’re doing to make Canada a safer place. Together, we can build a better future free from gun violence.”