The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says newly obtained federal records show Ottawa has no evidence its controversial gun grab program will reduce crime or improve public safety.The federation is calling on the Liberal government to scrap the program after an access-to-information request revealed Public Safety Canada does not possess any internal analysis measuring the program’s effectiveness.“If the government can’t show taxpayers this program will work, then taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for it,” said Gage Haubrich. “Ottawa needs to listen to police officers who say the gun ban and confiscation won’t work.”According to the CTF, it requested “all analysis from the department on the efficacy of the assault style firearms compensation program and its effect on crime rates/public safety.”Public Safety Canada responded that “no information related to your request exists within Public Safety Canada.”The Liberal government has maintained the confiscation scheme is intended to improve public safety following the 2020 prohibition on thousands of firearm models now classified as banned weapons..However, the federation noted violent firearm crime rates have increased since the prohibition took effect.Critics of the policy, including police organizations and provincial governments, have repeatedly argued the program targets lawful gun owners rather than criminals.“We know that the gun buyback program is going to have, essentially, zero impact on the crime in Toronto,” said Clayton Campbell, the president of the Toronto Police Association.Dozens of police services across Canada have reportedly declined to participate in the confiscation effort.The federation also noted every provincial government except British Columbia and Quebec has refused to support the program, citing concerns about cost and effectiveness.According to Budget 2025, Ottawa has committed at least $742 million toward the gun ban and confiscation initiative, although some outside estimates have projected the final cost could climb as high as $6 billion.“Law enforcement experts say the gun grab will do nothing to make Canada safer,” said Haubrich. “The government doesn’t have any evidence otherwise. Ottawa needs to listen to the experts and scrap this gun ban and confiscation scheme.”
