Despite leaked audio showing Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree questioning the federal gun 'buyback' program he oversees, Prime Minister Mark Carney maintains “confidence” in his minister amid calls for Anandasangaree's resignation or dismissal.

Carney expressed confidence in the minister Tuesday, stating he's “doing important work” and fulfilling an election promise with the gun 'buyback' program.

The minister is under intense scrutiny after a leaked audio recording revealed his doubts about the program's effectiveness, stating he would have approached the issue differently, if it hadn't have been a campaign promise.

Carney also defended Anandasangaree after a Global News report revealed he aided an alleged Sri Lankan terrorist's immigration to Canada, prior to his cabinet appointment.

Mark Carney stands by his Public Safety Minister who just announced the Liberal gun grab after leaked audio revealed Gary Anandasangaree himself had no confidence that it will keep Canadians safe. Even going as far to promise to pay bail for his tenant if he's jailed. pic.twitter.com/ZjjDfTQ7uD

— Efrain Flores Monsanto 🇨🇦🚛 (@efloresmonsanto) September 23, 2025

During a 20-minute conversation that was secretly recorded by a tenant who is a gun owner and obtained by the Toronto Star, Anandasangaree revealed details about the government's 'buyback' program. 

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Anandasangaree claimed ignorance of the recording, stating private discussions might not reflect public statements.

Tracey Wilson (@TWilsonOttawa) from the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights discusses leaked audio showing Gary Anandasangaree expressing a lack of confidence in the Liberals' 'gun buyback' program.

Full story: https://t.co/FfxtsMJs34 pic.twitter.com/2SAylkUaoh

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) September 24, 2025

When pressed by CTV's Vassy Kapelos, Anandasangaree defended the 'buyback' program, calling some of his own leaked comments “misguided” and not to be “taken at face value,” implying they were meant to obstruct or derail the announcement.

The Liberals launched a pilot program in Cape Breton, collaborating with local police, to test compensating owners of 2,500 now banned firearms. This program is expected to be expanded nationwide later this fall.

Anandasangaree clarified his “different approach” comment Tuesday, stating he would have preferred an earlier, single-stage rollout of the firearms program, rather than the Liberals' three-stage implementation, which began with a 2020 ban after the Portapique, N.S. shooting.

“We have an issue with gun violence right now. We see it on our streets. We see it across the country.”

He promised additional measures, including criminal justice reforms like bail reform and harsher illegal firearm penalties.

Poilievre rips into Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, who unveiled the next steps in the Liberals' gun grab, despite leaked audio revealing Anandasangaree doesn't think the program makes Canadians safer.

Poilievre then calls on PM Carney to fire his minister. pic.twitter.com/iuO1b8IrPy

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) September 23, 2025

Also on Tuesday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre demanded Carney “fire” Anandasangaree for incompetence following the situation.

“He admits he doesn’t know what a gun licence is. More than half of Canadians don’t feel safe under his watch. Will the prime minister do the only thing that will secure our country and fire this incompetent minister?” Poilievre said in question period.

A 2023 Public Safety report revealed that most legal gun owners believe federal firearm confiscation is a wasteful policy. They argue it fails to address illicit gun crime, the primary cause of violent crime, which they link to gangs and organized crime.

The National Police Federation also said that collecting firearms from legal owners would divert resources from addressing illegal firearm use, including those used in the Portapique shooting.

Federal documents obtained by the GunBlog reveal the Liberal government is funding police in Winnipeg ($2.8 million) and Cape Breton ($103,013) through March 2026 to assist with the confiscation of legal firearms.https://t.co/NxrE3hMcaj

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) May 8, 2025

Since May 2020, $742 million has funded a program compensating businesses for prohibited firearms. As part of its gun violence strategy, the government has banned over 2,000 “assault-style firearm” models.

By April 2025, $22 million had been spent collecting 12,000 firearms from businesses.

Anandasangaree announced a one-year extension to the gun amnesty period, now expiring October 2026. Non-compliance could result in Criminal Code penalties or licence revocation.

“There’s nothing voluntary about abiding by the law,” one official said. Gun owners can seek compensation, deactivate their weapons, or surrender them to police.