Police union chiefs: Liberal gun grab will have ‘zero impact’ on crime
Alex Zoltan, True North
Police union leaders blasted the Liberal government on Thursday, pressing them on lax bail oversight, repeat offenders, “safe supply” policies, and the federal gun confiscation program.
Police union leaders blasted the Liberal government on Thursday, pressing them on lax bail oversight, repeat offenders, “safe supply” policies, and the federal gun confiscation program.
Several police union heads appeared before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights on Thursday to express their concerns. The committee had not met since the early summer, when it was adjourned for several months despite rising crime in Ontario and a last-minute pledge from the Carney Liberals to enact substantive criminal justice reforms ahead of the most recent federal election.
After a lengthy delay, Canadian Police Association president Tom Stamatakis, National Police Federation president Brian Sauvé, and Toronto Police Association president Clayton Campbell appeared before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights on Thursday. They raised concerns about officer safety, gaps in federal bail data, recruitment and retention challenges, “safe supply” programs, and the need for stronger federal support for frontline policing.
The Liberal government’s firearms confiscation program, first billed as a “buyback” in 2020, was also a major focus.
The initiative, which bans more than 2,500 previously legal models, has faced repeated delays, confusion and controversy. It is now slated to conclude by the end of 2026 at an estimated cost of nearly $2 billion.
The program has been widely criticized for its inefficacy and lack of clear directives.
At one point, Conservative MP Andrew Lawton cross examined Canada’s largest law enforcement stakeholders on the Liberals gun “buyback” program.
“Has Public Safety Minister Gary Ananadagasaree ever consulted with you on the firearm’s buyback (program)?” Lawton asked the witnesses.
The question drew an objection for “relevance,” but in a surprising show of bipartisan support, Liberal chair Marc Miller allowed the questioning to continue.
“We’ve talked about this before,” Campbell responded. “The gun buyback program is going to have zero impact on the crime we’re seeing in the city of Toronto. Period.”
Other witnesses on Thursday similarly doubted the gun confiscation program’s efficacy—something chair and Conservative MP Larry Brock called “an absolute disaster.”