New data: Trudeau’s so-called gun buyback burns through $75 million—without buying a single gun
Millions are wasted on administration while gun owners remain uncompensated, with no end in sight for the bloated, ineffective program according to order paper responses from Public Safety and the RCMP. Government data from September pegged the number at $67 million.
In a recent disclosure, the Trudeau government has confirmed that it has spent over $75 million on the controversial firearms buyback program to date without compensating a single gun owner.
The financial details revealed in a government response to an order paper question from Conservative MP Larry Brock, highlights substantial administrative expenses with no payouts to gun owners affected by the program’s ban on what the Liberals have labelled “assault-style” firearms.
According to Public Safety Canada, $63.3 million has been spent since the program’s launch, with all funds dedicated to program administration rather than compensation. Spending by fiscal year includes:
- 2021-2022: $12,523,550
- 2022-2023: $11,928,547
- 2023-2024: $27,165,200
- 2024-2025 (April to September 12): $11,665,950
Additionally, the RCMP reported $12 million in spending between April 2022 and September 2024, primarily for policy planning, engagement, and IT activities. Despite these significant expenditures, none of these funds have gone toward reimbursing firearm owners affected by the ban.
Budget 2024: More Administrative Funding, No Direct Compensation
In the 2024 budget, the Trudeau government allocated another $30.4 million to Public Safety Canada for the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program stemming from Trudeau's ban on the entirely made-up class of long guns in May 2020. The Liberals announced a grandfathering out of private handgun ownership in 2022.
Of this, $29.5 million is earmarked for departmental administrative costs, while the remaining $950,968 remains unallocated. Notably, the RCMP received no additional funding from the 2024 budget for direct compensation or buybacks.
Police Have Other Priorities
Police associations across the country have sharply criticized the Trudeau government for the misplaced focus on Canada's law-abiding firearms. At the same time, gangs, drugs, and sex trafficking proliferate and the violence, property crime and social disorder that accompany these issues envelop Canada's major cities.
The violent crime rate in Canada has been increasing:
- 2023: The rate of violent criminal code violations in Canada increased by 3.71% in 2023, with 1,427.94 incidents.
- 2022: The rate of violent crime increased by 5% in 2022, and the rate of firearm-related violent crime increased by 8.9%.
- 2013–2023: The rate of violent crime has increased 24%, while the rate of firearm-related violent crime has increased 55%.
- 2015–present: The severity index of violent crime has increased 32%.
- Homicide rate: Canada's homicide rate is at its highest level in 30 years.
Sheila Gunn Reid
Chief Reporter
Sheila Gunn Reid is the Alberta Bureau Chief for Rebel News and host of the weekly The Gunn Show with Sheila Gunn Reid. She's a mother of three, conservative activist, and the author of best-selling books including Stop Notley.
COMMENTS
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Bruce Atchison commented 2024-11-04 16:46:25 -0500Imagine all that money being put toward beneficial things like aids for daily living for seniors or adaptive equipment for disabled folks. Imagine how happy it would make Canadian citizens who absolutely need those things. Instead, idiotic government policies are going after innocent people while coddling criminals.
