A taxpayer advocacy group is escalating its legal battle with Ottawa, seeking to force the federal government to disclose the true cost of its gun grab program.The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has asked the Federal Court of Canada to review a decision allowing the government to withhold key financial records under cabinet confidence, arguing Canadians are being kept in the dark about a costly federal initiative.“Canadians have a right to know how much Ottawa’s gun confiscation scheme will really cost,” said Devin Drover, general counsel for the federation, calling the cabinet confidence claim a tactic to shield basic financial details from public scrutiny.The dispute stems from a 2023 access-to-information request seeking projected costs for the national gun grab program. While partial documents released in early 2024 showed an estimated $12.6 million price tag for confiscation efforts in one RCMP region, Ottawa refused to release broader national estimates.After filing a complaint with the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada and waiting more than a year without resolution, the federation sought a court order to compel action. The commissioner later accepted a new argument from the federal government that the remaining records were protected by cabinet confidence — a claim the federation notes was not raised at the outset of the dispute..The latest court application challenges that determination, with the federation arguing the documents should be made public.Critics say the lack of transparency comes as costs tied to the program continue to climb. Budget documents show Ottawa has committed at least $742 million to the effort, though earlier estimates varied widely.The Liberal government initially pegged the program at $200 million in 2019, while the Parliamentary Budget Officer later estimated compensation alone could reach as high as $756 million. Some outside estimates have suggested the total cost could rise into the billions.Gage Haubrich, the federation’s prairie director, said taxpayers deserve clarity on what he called a wasteful initiative. “Ottawa needs to come clean on how much money it could be wasting on a confiscation program that law enforcement experts say won’t make Canadians safer,” he said.Opposition has also come from within policing ranks, with representatives of rank-and-file RCMP members warning the program could divert personnel and resources away from tackling crime involving illegal firearms.
