Liberals to move forward with gun grab after disastrous Nova Scotia pilot
The Cape Breton pilot collected just 22 of 200 projected firearms at a cost of nearly $7,000 each, not including additional expenses.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says the federal gun buyback program will be rolled out across Canada, despite the abysmal turnout in a Nova Scotia pilot project.
“I will be showing our next steps on the program as we roll out throughout the country,” Anandasangaree said yesterday afternoon. “But it is significant to say that we will be rolling the program out across Canada."
The federal government announced the Cape Breton, N.S., pilot program's goal is to "test program elements" by collecting an initial 200 "assault-style firearms."
Public Safety Minister @gary_srp explains how the "voluntary" Liberal gun grab works, suggesting the "expectation" is law-abiding firearms owners will "comply."
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) September 23, 2025
Those who fail to comply could face criminal charges, he adds. pic.twitter.com/zw3JNEYFQg
While official results for the federal government's banned gun buyback pilot are pending, the chair of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality's police commission noted some participation.
The Cape Breton “buyback” pilot only acquired "up to 22" firearms according to Commission chair Coun. Glenn Paruch. While he called the low number "supportive," suggesting it would yield "quite a few guns" nationally, he stopped short of calling the pilot successful.
The program offers money to owners of up to 2,500 now-banned assault-style firearms.
The six-week pilot began on October 1. Winnipeg expects $2.54 million from Ottawa next year to process 3,881 firearms—a high estimate based on Cape Breton's initial results.
The pilot cost $149,760 before launch, parliamentary records show. The real cost per firearm for logistics alone (collection to destruction) is estimated at $6,807, excluding administration, the national rollout, cost overruns, and the future multi-year amnesty extension.
Contradicting comments from the Public Safety Minister, who said the gun grab would be "voluntary," Cape Breton police Chief Robert Walsh says it's a chance for legal gun owners to "surrender what they are no longer allowed to possess" and "prevent criminal liability." pic.twitter.com/Aq62Qqe0I4
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) September 23, 2025
Anandasangaree told CBC News the federal government saw the pilot 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 added.
Over 100 people protested the pilot outside police headquarters last month in Sydney, N.S., calling for non-compliance and claiming it criminalizes law-abiding citizens.
Paruch noted that the gun buyback is a "hot-button topic" for constituents and expressed distaste for any government trying to "silence someone from what they can and cannot say."
Minister Anandasangaree faced criticism in September after an audio recording surfaced where he advised an acquaintance not to worry about arrest for refusing to surrender a banned firearm, citing municipal police resource limitations. He also conceded the buyback's partial importance to Quebec voters.
Anandasangaree later called his comments "misguided" and maintained that police could still do their jobs.
Alex Dhaliwal
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COMMENTS
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Melvyn Schobel commented 2025-11-25 15:36:51 -0500Sue-ann Levy wrote an article that was right on the money. The present Liberal government has no intention of supporting Canadians and defending their freedom. What is even more disheartening is the silence displayed by Canadians who refuse to stand up and be heard. They have become enablers, turning their back on the problem by remaining silent to afraid to speak up, so they stay in their comfortable bubble, remaining safe, not sorry for their lack of concern.
Pathetic to watch a great country like Canada die because of its ignorance and silence.
“The world suffers a lot. Not because of the violence of bad people, but because of the silence of the good people.” By Napoleon Bonaparte. -
Bruce Atchison commented 2025-11-24 19:08:45 -0500This is just one more step toward confiscating our property. Guns today will mean private homes tomorrow. Fossil-fuel equipment from furnaces to trucks will also be in the government’s sights. They know they can’t go full communist immediately so they need to be sneaky. Governments know they can tire us out and bully us into submission. Resist them!
