Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says the federal government’s gun buyback program will be rolled out across Canada as a report from a pilot in Nova Scotia suggests low turnout.
“I will be showing our next steps on the program as we roll out throughout the country,” Anandasangaree said on Sunday afternoon. “But it is significant to say that we will be rolling the program out across Canada.”
A news release from the federal government marking the beginning of the pilot in Cape Breton, N.S., said the goal was to “test program elements while collecting an initial 200 assault-style firearms.”
Official results from the buyback program are not yet available, but the chair of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s police commission, Coun. Glenn Paruch, said earlier this week he’s heard police have bought back up to 22 outlawed firearms.
If that number is correct, it would mean the pilot collected only a fraction of Ottawa’s target. The project started on Oct. 1 and lasted six weeks, with the results being used to refine the buyback program before rolling it out nationally.
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When asked about the pilot by CBC News, Anandasangaree said the federal government viewed it as a learning opportunity and “corrected some of the technical glitches that we had initially.”
“We believe the systems are operational and are ready to go,” he said.
Paruch wouldn’t say whether that number should be considered successful, but he was supportive.
“Let’s say there [were] 22 guns here out of 200. Now you take that number and you put it nationally across Canada, you’re probably going to get quite a few guns that way,” he said.
On Monday, Cape Breton Regional Police Chief Robert Walsh said he has agreed with Public Safety Canada not to comment on the results since it’s the federal government’s project.
The pilot attracted some opposition. Shortly after launch, more than 100 people protested outside Cape Breton Regional Police headquarters to call on Ottawa to scrap the ban and buyback program, arguing the federal government is blaming law-abiding citizens.
In September, Anandasangaree found himself in hot water after he suggested in an audio recording that an acquaintance shouldn’t worry about being arrested for refusing to turn in a banned firearm because municipal police have few resources to devote to such matters.
The minister was also recorded saying the buyback was in part being done because the issue is important to Quebec voters.
In a statement at the time, Anandasangaree said his comments were “misguided.” He also insisted that police forces will be able to do their jobs.
