Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced Canada is banning assault-style weapons.
Trudeau cited numerous mass killings in the country, including one of its deadliest that occurred in Nova Scotia in April and resulted in the deaths of 22 people.
"Canadians deserve more than thoughts and prayers,” Trudeau said.
Mass shootings are relatively rare in Canada, which has tighter gun control laws than the United States.
Trudeau said the order has a two-year amnesty period for current owners.
"You do not need an AR-15 to take down a deer," Trudeau said. "So, effective immediately, it is no longer permitted to buy, sell, transport, import or use military-grade, assault weapons in this country."
Trudeau said the weapons were designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time, and that there is no use — and no place — for such weapons in Canada.
