Gun-Control Group Criticizes Trudeau’s Firearms Buyback Program as Ineffective
A key advocate for stricter gun control is questioning the effectiveness of the Trudeau government’s controversial buyback program. PolyRemembers, a prominent gun-control organization, has labeled the initiative a “waste of money,” claiming it fails to address the core issues of firearm regulation.
Launched in 2020, the federal program aims to buy back and destroy banned military-style firearms like AR-15s. However, PolyRemembers argues that the program allows owners to trade banned firearms for other similar models that remain legal, potentially undermining its goal of reducing gun violence.
Nathalie Provost, a spokesperson for PolyRemembers and a survivor of the 1989 Montreal Polytechnique massacre, criticized the program as ineffective and merely symbolic. She stated, “We’re not reducing the risk level; we are just replacing the makes and models.”
The federal government, which has not disclosed the cost of the program but estimates it to be in the hundreds of millions, is preparing to launch the next phase in spring 2025. This phase aims to recover firearms currently held by individual owners.
Despite PolyRemembers’ concerns, the government plans to proceed without altering the program’s scope. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc’s spokesperson emphasized the government’s focus on successfully launching the program and reinforcing public safety.
Critics from both gun-control and gun-owner communities argue that the program’s current design does not effectively address firearm capabilities and could result in taxpayer money being spent without significant impact on public safety. The controversy highlights ongoing debates about the best approaches to gun control in Canada.