The department of Public Safety admits strong resistance against its national gun confiscation program. Many see it as too expensive and not likely to make a difference in gun crimes.. Guns .According to Blacklock’s Reporter, an in-house report found that less than half of the gun owners would voluntarily give up their firearms in the confiscation program. .Additionally, 12% said they would never comply and hand over their guns..“Often the ban and the buyback program were seen as wasteful because the policy isn’t aimed at stopping illegal gun smuggling and sales,” said the report Buyback Program Awareness Campaign. .“Most firearms owners did not see themselves or their peers as a major factor in gun crimes in Canada.”.Three years ago, the Cabinet proposed a plan to confiscate around 200,000 guns that it labelled as "assault-style." They estimated this would cost between $300 million and $400 million. Gun owners have until October 30 to participate in this program without facing penalties, as the amnesty period will end..The start date for the confiscation program, originally set for this past spring, was pushed back and no reason was given for the delay. .The Budget Office says the program could cost up to $756 million, which is double what the department estimated..“Most firearms owners think inner cities have the highest rate of firearms violence in Canada,” said Buyback Awareness. .“Just 10% think small towns and rural areas have the highest rates. Firearms owners feel the biggest causes of gun violence are gang violence, organized crime and general criminal activity.”.“There has been a significant decline over the past year in firearms owners’ rating of the government’s performance on introducing measures to address gun-related violence,” said the report. .“How would you rate the performance of the Government of Canada when it comes to introducing measures to address gun-related violence?” With 26% calling it “poor.” Another 24% rated it “fair.” Just 15% called it “excellent.”.Findings were based on questionnaires with 2,000 gun owners nationwide and eight federal focus groups with hunters and sports shooters “to help understand how firearms owners perceive the confiscation program including their intent to participate.” .The department spent $158,856 for the Environics Research report..“I Am A Responsible Owner” .The report says that the average gun owner in Canada is most likely to live in the rural Prairies or Atlantic Canada. These people usually have a license and are “very familiar” with federal laws. They typically own one or two guns, usually manual rifles or shotguns. These firearms are most often used for hunting and sport shooting..“One-third inherited them from a family member or friend,” said the report..“Most owners use their firearms less than once a month and 13% never use them at all.”.“How often do you use your firearm?” Just 22% said they went shooting less than once a year..Most gun owners said their firearms were not prohibited but feared “bans would expand over time” to include common rifles and shotguns. Only 34% said they suspected their gun was already on the confiscation restricted list..Many people had doubts about the plan to confiscate guns..“Many had sympathy for affected owners and felt it was unfair to target people who had initially acquired their guns legally,” said Awareness..“Less than half of those owners with prohibited firearms would now willingly participate in a buyback program, a sharp decline over the past year,” wrote Environics. .“A third would participate, but only because it was mandatory. One in ten (12%) would refuse to participate at all.”.“The 12% of owners of prohibited firearms who say they would refuse to participate in the buyback program were asked their main reason for refusal,” said the report. .Replies included “I am a responsible owner, “it is a free country,” “it belongs to me,” “the government should go after criminals instead of law-abiding people,” and “tax dollars are being wasted here.”.Then-Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino told reporters last April 26 that the confiscation program would proceed despite skipped deadlines. .“We are dedicated to moving forward with this program as quickly as we can, but we also have to make sure we get the buyback program right,” said Mendicino. .“It’s a program without precedent. It’s national in scale.”
