Montreal mayor says she's encouraged by Trudeau's promise to act on gun violence

MONTREAL -

Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante says she is encouraged that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agrees the federal government needs to do more to reduce gun violence.

Plante made the comments today after meeting with Trudeau briefly this morning at Montreal City Hall.

But she says any potential ban on handguns needs to apply coast to coast.

Plante has repeatedly called on the federal government to ban handguns and to put stronger limits on assault weapons, and the mayor had the chance to make her case directly to the prime minister today.

The Liberals' recent throne speech included a pledge to work with provinces that want to ban handguns, representing a shift from the Trudeau government's initial plan to grant that authority to individual cities.

Plante says province-level bans are an option, but she says a countrywide standard would be the most coherent and efficient solution to the problem of gun violence.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Nov. 26, 2021.