Amazon Canada now restricting machete sales in Manitoba

A massive online retailer is restricting the sale of long-bladed weapons to Manitoba customers.

One of Canada’s largest online retailers will no longer allow the sale of machetes and other long-bladed weapons in Manitoba.

Amazon Canada has put measures in place to restrict the sale of machetes in the province.

“They understand the impact that these weapons can have in our community. They know the violent crimes that are being committed with them,” said Justice Minister Matt Wiebe during a media availability Tuesday afternoon.

Last year, the provincial government passed The Long-Bladed Weapon Act, which governs the sale of machetes and other long-bladed weapons in Manitoba. The act came into effect after a series of attacks in Winnipeg involving machetes.

Under the legislation, stores must keep the items stored in a way that customers cannot access them without help, while retailers are required to keep a record of sales for two years. Adults also must provide photo identification when purchasing.

In a letter from Amazon sent to Wiebe, the company said it will restrict the sale of long-bladed weapons to all Amazon customers with a Manitoba shipping address.

“We will undertake ongoing auditing of these controls to ensure they are working as intended and will update these controls, as needed, if the act or the regulation are amended in the future,” the company wrote.

• With files from The Canadian Press