Recent tragic shootings in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, have cast a renewed spotlight on Canada’s federal gun control efforts. The government is currently grappling with significant challenges in implementing a nationwide gun buyback program, which has faced both public opposition and considerable logistical hurdles.
This comprehensive reform initiative was sparked by Canada’s deadliest mass shooting, an horrific event in Nova Scotia in April 2020 that claimed 23 lives, including the perpetrator. This tragedy served as a grim catalyst for change.
In the immediate aftermath of the Nova Scotia attack, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau swiftly announced a ban on 1,500 types of assault-style weapons. Over the ensuing years, the federal government has steadily expanded its gun reform agenda. This included imposing a freeze on handgun sales and further broadening the categories of firearms prohibited under the initial ban.
Authorities have yet to disclose any details regarding the specific firearms involved in the Tumbler Ridge shootings this past Tuesday, nor have they provided information on how the suspected shooter acquired these weapons.
Without a doubt, the most contentious aspect of Canada’s firearms reform package is the multi-million dollar gun buyback program. It specifically targets owners of “military-style assault rifles,” a classification that controversially encompasses a wide array of long guns and rifles often used for hunting.
The very notion of a gun buyback has become a deeply divisive political issue across Canada, a nation already known for its stringent firearm regulations.
Federal data indicates that handguns are the most frequently used firearms in criminal activities. Furthermore, in Canadian cities experiencing higher rates of gun violence, the overwhelming majority of these crime-linked firearms are traced back to their origins in the United States.
Gun owners and advocacy groups vehemently oppose the buyback, arguing it unfairly focuses on rifles. For many in Canada’s rural communities and on Indigenous reserves, rifles are not merely tools but integral to their way of life, essential for hunting animals like caribou and moose, which provide crucial food and foster community engagement.
Even within Prime Minister Mark Carney’s own Liberal government, the program has drawn criticism. Last September, a leaked audio recording revealed Gary Anandasangaree, Canada’s public safety minister, expressing concerns that police forces lack adequate resources to effectively implement the buyback.
Compounding these challenges, several police forces and even Canada’s national postal service have explicitly refused to participate in the collection of firearms for the buyback, citing valid safety concerns and significant staffing limitations.
According to federal police data, Canada is home to approximately 1.3 million registered firearms.