The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has launched a legal battle to force Ottawa to reveal the real price tag of the federal gun-ban and confiscation program, accusing the government of burying critical information and violating transparency laws.

The dispute centres on an access-to-information complaint filed with the Office of the Information Commissioner more than a year ago. The complaint seeks the actual, detailed costs of the federal gun ban and buyback scheme—figures the government has repeatedly declined to release, despite early estimates soaring into the billions.

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Instead of answers, the complaint has sat untouched, prompting the CTF to take the extraordinary step of suing to compel the commissioner to investigate, as the law requires.

CTF General Counsel Devin Drover said Canadians are being deliberately kept in the dark.

BREAKING:

The CTF has launched a legal challenge to force the Ottawa to come clean on the real costs of its gun ban and confiscation scheme.

Taxpayers have a right to know what this will cost and we won’t let delay or secrecy stand in the way.https://t.co/llc1z0CbdS

— Devin Drover (@DevinDrover) November 13, 2025

“Canadians deserve a government that actually follows its own laws. Ottawa talks a big game about accountability, but when it comes to releasing the real costs of its gun ban and confiscation scheme, the system suddenly grinds to a halt.”

Drover said the very office meant to protect transparency is now enabling secrecy.

“The complaint process at the Information Commissioner’s office is supposed to protect Canadians. Instead, it’s become another roadblock that keeps the truth buried.”

He said the year-long delay is no accident.

“When a complaint about the costs of a multi-billion-dollar federal program sits unanswered for over a year, it’s not an accident. It’s a systemic failure. And it leaves taxpayers in the dark on purpose.”

The court action, he says, is about restoring the rule of law.

“Our court action is about enforcing the law and forcing the commissioner to do their job. Canadians have a legal right to know what this gun ban and confiscation program will cost, and the government can’t be allowed to bury that information just because it’s politically inconvenient."