Prime Minister Mark Carney is under pressure to find ways to cut government spending. One proposal gaining attention is the potential cancellation of the gun confiscation program, which experts and law enforcement leaders argue is ineffective. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne has urged cabinet members to submit "ambitious savings proposals" as part of a broader spending review.

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree has a straightforward option: eliminate the gun confiscation initiative. This program, which aims to buy back banned firearms, has been criticized for its rising costs and lack of effectiveness. Champagne's recent letter to ministers emphasized the need to evaluate whether existing programs are meeting their objectives. In the case of the gun confiscation scheme, many believe the answer is no.

Since its announcement in 2020, the program has expanded to include over 2,000 different makes and models of firearms. However, the government has only recently begun seizing firearms from businesses and has yet to confiscate any from individual owners. Initially projected to cost $200 million, the program's expenses have ballooned to over $342 million this year alone, with some estimates suggesting total costs could reach $6 billion.

Critics argue that the program is fundamentally flawed. Jooyoung Lee, a professor at the University of Toronto who studies gun violence, stated, "Buyback programs are largely ineffective at reducing gun violence, in large part because the people who participate in such programs are not likely to use those guns to commit violence."

The National Police Federation, which represents the RCMP, echoed these concerns. President Brian Sauvé noted that most gun crimes in Canada involve illegal firearms, often traced back to the United States. He added that the confiscation program diverts crucial resources away from addressing the more pressing issue of illegal gun use.

Since the government banned the use of certain firearms in 2020, gun crime in Canada has reportedly increased. Comparatively, New Zealand's more extensive gun confiscation program, initiated in 2019, has also seen a rise in violent firearm offenses.

Public sentiment appears to align with the critics of the program. A recent Leger poll indicated that 55% of Canadians believe that tougher measures to combat gun smuggling from the U.S. would be more effective in reducing gun crime than the current confiscation efforts.

As Anandasangaree prepares to present his savings plan to Champagne, the call to scrap the gun confiscation program is gaining momentum, with many viewing it as a necessary step to curb unnecessary government spending.