Trudeau pledges tougher gun control

(Ottawa) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that his Liberals, if re-elected in an October ballot, will bring in tougher gun control measures following a spate of shootings in Toronto.

He stopped short, however, of promising a handgun ban called for by Toronto Mayor John Tory after 17 people were shot last holiday weekend, which brought the total number of shootings so far this year in Canada´s largest city to 267. The figure is up from 248 in the same period last year.

“Recent shootings have underscored the need for common sense firearms policy,” the prime minister told a joint press conference with the mayor.

“We need action. But Mayor Tory and I agree that we can´t simply arrest our way out of this problem.”

Most of the shootings have been blamed on gang violence and illegal guns.