The federal government’s controversial gun buyback program hit another roadblock yesterday as Alberta Justice Minister Tyler Shandro announced the province would actively block enforcement efforts within provincial boundaries.
“Ottawa can’t use provincial resources to confiscate lawfully acquired property from hard-working Albertans,” Shandro told a crowd of supporters in Medicine Hat. “This program represents federal overreach into provincial jurisdiction, plain and simple.”
The announcement marks a significant escalation in the ongoing dispute between Alberta and the federal government over firearms regulations that has been brewing since the initial 2020 ban on over 1,500 models of “assault-style” weapons following the Nova Scotia mass shooting.
Standing beside rural gun owners and representatives from hunting associations, Shandro unveiled what he called the “Alberta Firearms Protection Strategy,” directing provincial agencies and law enforcement to refuse cooperation with federal authorities attempting to implement the buyback.
The federal program, which offers compensation for prohibited firearms, has faced implementation delays and cost concerns. Initially budgeted at $200 million, Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates now suggest costs could exceed $756 million, according to reports obtained by Mediawall News.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino responded swiftly to Alberta’s announcement. “Public safety isn’t a jurisdictional game,” Mendicino said during an impromptu press conference on Parliament Hill. “We’ve consulted extensively with provinces, territories, and stakeholders to design a program that keeps Canadians safe while respecting the rights of lawful gun owners.”
The showdown highlights growing regional tensions over federal policies in Western Canada. Recent Angus Reid polling shows 68% of Albertans oppose the buyback program, compared to 56% support nationally.
At Magnum Sports, a small gun shop in Lethbridge, owner Dave Timmins says uncertainty around the program has affected his business for years.
“Customers don’t know what to do – buy now, sell back later, or wait it all out,” Timmins explained while organizing inventory. “Some folks bought these firearms legally, used them responsibly for years, and now they’re being told they’re criminals if they don’t hand them over.”
Constitutional experts suggest Alberta’s position may face significant legal hurdles. University of Calgary law professor Alison Crawford notes that while provinces control their police resources, criminal law falls squarely under federal jurisdiction.
“This creates a complex constitutional question,” Crawford said. “The province can direct its resources, but cannot obstruct federal law enforcement. We might be looking at another Supreme Court reference case if this standoff continues.”
The dispute has broader political implications as Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has pledged to scrap the buyback program entirely if elected. At a recent campaign-style stop in Edmonton, Poilievre called the program “a billion-dollar boondoggle that targets farmers and hunters instead of criminals.”
For rural Albertans like Melissa Jennings, a third-generation rancher near Brooks, the issue transcends politics. “My shotgun is a tool, like my tractor,” she said during a community meeting last week. “I use it for predator control and sometimes hunting. Why am I being treated like a threat to public safety?”
Indigenous communities have also voiced concerns. Treaty 7 representatives raised questions about how the program might affect traditional hunting rights protected under various treaties and the Constitution.
Back in Ottawa, the federal government appears unwilling to back down. Internal documents obtained through Access to Information requests show the RCMP has already developed implementation plans that don’t rely on provincial cooperation.
“We prefer collaboration, but we’re prepared to proceed regardless,” an unnamed senior public safety official confirmed.
Gun control advocacy groups, meanwhile, express frustration at the delays. PolySeSouvient, representing survivors of the École Polytechnique massacre, released a statement calling Alberta’s move “a dangerous political stunt that prioritizes firearms over public safety.”
The dispute highlights a fundamental division in how Canadians view firearms regulation. Urban voters, particularly in Ontario and Quebec, consistently support stricter controls, while rural communities across the country often view guns as necessary tools.
As temperatures drop across the prairies, the political heat around this issue shows no signs of cooling. With a federal election potentially on the horizon next year, the gun buyback dispute could become a defining wedge issue in Alberta ridings.
For now, both sides appear entrenched, with Alberta gun owners caught in the crossfire of competing jurisdictional claims that seem destined for resolution in the courts rather than through political compromise.
