The Alberta government has sent instructions to the RCMP to dismiss direct orders from the Canadian government to enforce its semi-automatic weapon buyback program. .“This is politically motivated confiscation,” said Alberta Justice Minister and Solicitor General Tyler Shandro at a Monday press conference. .“It will not make Alberta a safer place.” .Shandro said the Canadian government continues to intrude on Alberta’s firearms jurisdiction. He spoke about how he received a letter from Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino requesting support from the Alberta government for the firearms confiscation program. .Shandro wrote Mendicino back by saying Alberta is not legally obligated and will not offer assistance. .Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in 2020 Canada would ban 1,500 makes and models of assault-style rifles right away. .Licensed gun owners would be barred from selling, transporting, importing, or using semi-automatic guns. .There was a two-year amnesty period to ensure people complied with the ban. Now people are expected to turn in these guns. .Alberta will seek to advance legal arguments the Canadian government has overreached with its gun buyback program by applying for intervenor status in six judicial reviews..By intervening, Shandro said Alberta will be able to “contribute arguments based on specific challenges the federal legislation has created for the local law-abiding firearm community.” .Shandro said he has written to the Alberta RCMP commanding officer to ask him to not comply. He continued by saying Alberta will be invoking Article 23 of the Provincial Police Service Agreement to tell the RCMP not to participate if that fails. .Alberta chief firearms officer Teri Bryant said she has expressed strong opposition to firearms being taken from people. .“I’m gratified to see today’s announcements as concrete indicators and steadfast position of Minister Shandro and the Alberta government as a whole to support law-abiding firearms owners and to oppose Ottawa’s misguided measures by all means available under the current legislative framework,” said Bryant. .“I look forward to working with all branches of the Alberta government to ensure that we leave no stone unturned in our efforts to protect Albertans from Ottawa’s senseless overreach.” .Bryant said confiscations will not reduce violence in Canada. She added people should be “concerned about the scapegoating of law-abiding citizens.” .Shandro said he was advised in advance from public servants at Public Safety Canada about this directive. .While he did not say how much confiscation efforts will cost, he said the Canadian government has to be responsible with police spending. .“If we’re going to spend as Albertans $750 million on the RCMP, that’s got to be spent on making our community safer,” he said. .Fraser Institute senior fellow Gary Mauser said in 2020 the firearm confiscation will be a billion-dollar boondoggle. .READ MORE: Trudeau’s firearms buy back plan will be billion-dollar boondoggle, says expert.“Based on these assumptions, confiscating 250,000 firearms would cost the Canadian taxpayer between $1.6 billion to almost $5 billion in the first year,” said Mauser. .“This estimate excludes travel costs and any ministerial administrators.”
