Yukon Latest Jurisdiction to Oppose Federal Gun Buyback Program

The recently elected Yukon government says it will not participate in Ottawa’s gun buyback program, joining provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan in their opposition to the federal initiative.

The governing party outlined its stance on Ottawa’s buyback program in the Dec. 8 Speech from the Throne, delivered by Yukon commissioner Adeline Webber to open the 36th legislative assembly. The Yukon Party, elected as a majority government in early November after nearly a decade of Liberal rule, had previously voiced concerns about the federal program while serving as the Official Opposition, saying it targets law-abiding firearms owners instead of criminals.

Webber said police resources should be invested in addressing crime, “rather than confiscating people’s lawfully acquired property,” adding that the territorial government won’t “participate in Ottawa’s firearms buyback program.”

“Hunting and shooting are foundational to Yukoners’ way of life, particularly to First Nations exercising their constitutional rights,” she said.

“Unlike criminals, the territory’s gun owners are thoroughly vetted, law-abiding citizens,” she added.

The federal buyback program aims to remove more than 2,500 firearms models, which the government classifies as “assault-style” firearms, from owners across the country. Federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree has said the types of guns the government is banning will help limit “the devastating effects of firearms violence.”

“These assault-style firearms are largely designed to kill people, not for hunting or sport shooting and have no place in Canada,” the minister said in a Sept. 23 press release announcing the rollout of the program, beginning with a pilot in Nova Scotia.

Public Safety Canada has said participation in the program is voluntary, but those who don’t take part will still have to dispose of or permanently deactivate their firearms by the end of the amnesty period—now extended to Oct. 30, 2026—or face potential criminal liability for illegal possession of a prohibited firearm.

Alberta has been outspoken against the federal buyback program, saying it “undermines” law-abiding citizens and fails to combat the illegal use of firearms. The province last week introduced a motion under the Alberta Sovereignty Act that would instruct all provincial entities to refuse to enforce or prosecute matters under the program.

Saskatchewan has likewise opposed the federal measure, describing it as the “wrong approach” for enhancing public safety. The province last month introduced amendments to its firearms act to ensure gun owners receive “fair market value” for their firearms as Ottawa moves forward with the program’s implementation. Anandasangaree said late last month the program would soon be launched across Canada, following the Nova Scotia pilot project.

“We are standing up for Saskatchewan firearms owners,” Premier Scott Moe said in a Nov. 25 social media post. “Rather than targeting responsible firearms owners, we believe the federal government should focus on the real issue: illegal firearms and smuggling.”

Several police forces, including the Ontario Provincial Police, have said they will not participate in the enforcement of the buyback program. The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police said in an Oct. 1 statement that it continues to have “serious concerns” about the program’s design and implementation, adding that removing firearms from the public is “not a policing or public safety priority in Ontario.”

Meanwhile, the British Columbia Association of Chiefs of Police has said it supports the program, adding that police leaders across the province “remain committed to working collaboratively with federal and provincial partners to ensure firearms are collected safely, securely, and in a manner that builds public trust.”