Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree has deemed the trial phase of the government’s key gun control initiative a success, despite the initial buyback program showing limited participation. Since 2020, Ottawa has prohibited around 2,500 types of firearms, arguing that the listed makes and models are designed for warfare rather than for hunting or sports shooting.
This policy has been met with opposition from the Conservatives and firearm-rights organizations, who claim that the action unfairly targets law-abiding gun owners instead of focusing on criminals. In response to these concerns, the government pledged to repurchase these firearms to adequately compensate the owners.
During the trial run of the buyback program, only 25 firearms were surrendered by 16 individuals in Cape Breton, N.S., falling short of the anticipated 200 firearms over a six-week period. These results, released recently, have raised doubts about the effectiveness of the over $700-million program when implemented nationwide.
Minister Anandasangaree expressed his belief in the overall success of the pilot phase, emphasizing the need to test the registration and recovery capabilities for voluntarily surrendered firearms. He acknowledged the low turnout but remained optimistic about increased participation once the full program is launched in the upcoming weeks.
Despite the challenges faced by the program, such as provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan opposing it, Minister Anandasangaree reiterated the government’s commitment to proceeding with the buyback initiative. However, concerns regarding the minister’s credibility have been raised following leaked comments questioning the program’s effectiveness.
Gun control advocates, including PolySeSouvient, are closely monitoring the program’s progress, highlighting the necessity of effective gun control measures to prevent escalating gun violence akin to the situation in the United States. Quebec has been the first province to support the buyback plan, with agreements in place totaling $12.4 million.
The national rollout of the program is underway, with law enforcement agencies like the RCMP, Quebec provincial police, and local police services in Halifax, Winnipeg, and Cape Breton participating. The government has not provided an estimate of the number of firearms expected to be collected during the nationwide implementation.
Owners possessing banned firearms have until October 30 to either dispose of or deactivate their listed firearms to avoid legal repercussions as the amnesty period draws to a close later this year.