More than 100 individuals gathered in protest outside the Cape Breton Regional Police headquarters in Sydney, N.S., on Thursday, advocating for the federal government to abandon its ban and buyback initiative targeting assault-style firearms.
Mel Howley, expressing concerns about potential gun confiscation, emphasized the need for resistance, stating, “We’re ordinary, law-abiding citizens feeling threatened by this government action.”
According to federal authorities, the program targets approximately 2,500 types of firearms resembling those commonly used in criminal activities, specifically defining assault-style firearms as semi-automatic weapons with military features and high ammunition capacities.
During the demonstration, Bernadette Poirier criticized the program for unfairly targeting law-abiding citizens, emphasizing, “We are not criminals, so why penalize us?”
Simon Lee, a student from Hong Kong, revealed his possession of a prohibited firearm used solely for target shooting, questioning its classification as an assault rifle and finding the situation “hilarious.”
The government’s buyback scheme is currently being piloted in Cape Breton to address any operational issues before its nationwide implementation later this year. The law enforcement grace period allows gun owners to voluntarily surrender their firearms, with the buyback program budget capped at $742 million.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree indicated a willingness to allocate more funds based on public response, stating, “If there is increased interest beyond the allocated budget, we will assess additional resources to accommodate the demand.”
Devin Drover, a lawyer from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, supported gun owners at the rally, advising them to retain their banned firearms until the amnesty period concludes.
Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights vice-president Tracey Wilson called for Prime Minister Mark Carney to cancel the program, urging Cape Breton residents not to participate and let the initiative fail.
Critics argue that the banned firearms are not commonly used in criminal incidents, with stolen or illegally imported firearms being the primary concern. Removing these weapons from circulation aims to reduce the risk of theft and illegal use.
In a related context, data from Public Safety Canada reported 1,497 firearm theft incidents in 2023, with the majority occurring in residential settings.
