The Newfoundland and Labrador government has announced that they won't be participating in or enforcing the federal gun "buyback" program.Canada's easternmost province has released a statement, saying that the federal program doesn't align with their public safety policy, with the premier, Tony Wakeham, saying he especially worries how the program could affect hunters.Wakeham also said that instead of funding this program, the federal government should focus more funding towards reducing crime and drug-related violence."As Premier, I call on the federal government to further engage provinces and territories on this issue, and to re-allocate the resources allotted for this program toward reducing crime, drug-related violence, and repeat offenders," the premier said in the statement."Decisions are being made at a federal level that are isolated from legitimate civilian use of firearms. The federal government should focus on criminals, not law-abiding hunters and our way of life.”.The provincial Minister of Justice and Public Safety, Helen Conway Ottenheimer, echoed this sentiment, saying that the provincial government will respect law-abiding firearms owners.“We understand that there are many legal and legitimate uses for firearms. Our government respects law abiding firearm owners. I am not convinced that there is evidence that this program would enhance public safety,” the minister said in the statement.Newfoundland and Labrador now joins Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories as the seventh provincial or territorial government to refuse participation in the federal gun confiscation program.This leaves only B.C., Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and Nunavut as the only jurisdictions to enforce the program, meaning that just slightly over a third of Canadians will be subject to this program.
