Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree announced that the government is not yet ready to provide details on the extension of its gun amnesty program. This statement comes just six weeks before the current extension is set to expire on October 30. "More information will be forthcoming as we announce the program," Anandasangaree said while entering a Liberal caucus meeting in Ottawa on Wednesday.

The gun amnesty program was initially introduced following a tragic mass shooting in Nova Scotia, which marked the deadliest incident of its kind in Canadian history. In response, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau implemented a ban on over 1,500 models and variants of "assault-style firearms." This initial list, announced on May 1, 2020, has since expanded to include approximately 2,500 models.

The original ban included a two-year amnesty period, allowing owners of firearms such as the AR-15 to surrender their weapons until April 30, 2022. This period was extended by one year in 2022 and again by two years in 2023. Anandasangaree indicated in August that the current extension would need to be pushed back, but specific details remain unclear.

The government has committed to compensating firearm owners through a buyback program, which the Parliamentary Budget Office estimated would cost over $750 million. However, this program for individual owners has not yet begun, with the federal government stating it is expected to launch in 2025. Meanwhile, the program for businesses remains active, with 12,195 compensation claims filed by businesses for prohibited firearms as of April 30.

In the context of the recent federal election, Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged that a Liberal government would revitalize the assault-style firearm buyback program. His campaign included promises to enhance public safety measures, such as automatically revoking gun licenses for individuals convicted of violent crimes, particularly those involving intimate partner violence.

Carney also proposed legislation to transfer the responsibility of classifying new firearm models from the gun industry to the RCMP. Additionally, he called for increased funding for the RCMP's forensic laboratories to improve tracking of firearms used in crimes and for stronger oversight of firearms licensing and enforcement.

"You can't be serious about being tough on crime if you're not willing to be tough on guns," Carney stated while outlining his plan. He emphasized the importance of addressing intimate partner violence through effective gun control measures while also respecting the rights of hunters and Indigenous peoples to use firearms for sport and tradition.