Carney’s gun grab is floundering. The Liberals finally decided to launch their “gun buyback” Canada wide. Six years after banning the so-called “assault-style” firearms.
Unfortunately for the Liberals, it turns out that the many of the newly banned guns are lawful hunting firearms (even if Liberals find them scary looking) and very popular with hunters — Indigenous and non-Indigenous hunters alike.
Posturing meets incompetence
The so-called “gun buyback” is a bad idea and badly organized. The public safety minister even admitted, in an unguarded moment, that the “buyback” was a political maneuver to win votes in Quebec and it had nothing to do with public safety. It was just for show.
The obvious uselessness of the buyback has obliterated political support. Only Québec has agreed to participate; most other provinces and territories have declined (including Ontario and Manitoba). Two provinces (Alberta and Saskatchewan) have even passed laws to protect legal gun owners.
The Carney Liberals prefer virtue signaling to solving problems. When faced with increased threats from violent crime, instead of boosting funding for police and border security, the Liberals mount a public relations campaign trying to fool the public into thinking that confiscating lawfully held and used firearms from law abiding civilians will reduce gun violence. Squandering hundreds of millions (so far) on a gun grab of hunting firearms was never about public safety but political posturing.
The problem is violent crime – not civilian guns
Organized crime poses a serious threat to Canadians, but the so-called buyback targets law-abiding citizens, not violent criminals. Legal firearms owners rarely misuse their firearms, according to StatsCan data.
Gang killings are increasing. In Vancouver murders have increased by 130% in just 5 years since 2021 … And by over 180% since 2014. Violent extortion threats in Surrey spur calls for vigilante justice.
Canada wide crime statistics (2015-2024)
Gang crime has soared by 208%,
Gang-related B&Es have escalated over 400%.
Homicides have grown by 29%;
Firearm charges (use of, discharge, pointing firearm) have doubled by 131%;
The Violent crime severity index has grown by 33%;
Do the police support the scheme?
Neither the Toronto police nor the Ontario Provincial Police are willing to get involved. Ontario Premier Ford slammed the scheme “arguing it targets legal owners instead of addressing violent crime.” Ford added, “I’ve never, ever heard once someone come up to me and say — ‘You know those law-abiding hunters, let’s go take their guns’ — I’ve never heard that.”
While many police organizations outside of Quebec are unwilling to get involved in the “gun buyback,” the BC Association of Police Chiefs supports Ottawa’s boondoggle, even though they have concerns about it.
And the RCMP?
The National Police Federation, the union representing RCMP members, says, Ottawa’s scheme “diverts extremely important personnel, resources, and funding away from addressing the more immediate and growing threat of criminal use of illegal firearms.” Brian Sauvé, the president of the National Police Federation, said “The majority of gun crime in Canada is committed with illegal firearms that are traced back to the United States.”
Now what?
To participate in the so-called “buyback,” owners must declare their new prohibited firearms they agree to surrender by the end of March. Only legal owners qualify for partial compensation; criminals and smuggled guns are excluded. Compensated or not, owners are required, subject to criminal penalty, to surrender all newly prohibited firearms before the end of October.
What will owners do?
Declare early in hopes of getting some compensation? Wait to see if the Liberals’ scheme collapses before they are being forced to surrender any prohibited guns on the list? The RCMP knows about registered guns, so it’s impossible to hide them.
How will the declared guns be confiscated? Ottawa still doesn’t know how to do that. A roving task force? Local police? The RCMP? Will there be a “collection depot”? Ottawa is flying by the seat of their pants. But owners must declare any prohibited gun that is on the list.
Carney’s gun grab is floundering
This buyback boondoggle is not, and never has been, about public safety.
