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Governments in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have adopted similar positions.
The Yukon Legislature adopted a motion prohibiting the use of local RCMP resources for federal gun buyback programs. Governments in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have taken similar positions in recent weeks.
The motion was put forward by Yukon judicial commentators. Brad Cathers Passed with the support of the Yukon Party and the Yukon NDP MLA. All Yukon Liberal MLAs, which formed minority governments after the 2021 elections, voted against the motion.
The motion states that the territorial legislature “requests the Yukon government to ensure that the territory’s police resources are not diverted to support the implementation of the Government of Canada’s gun ‘buyback’ program.”
Cathers said it’s important to prevent police resources from being diverted to organized crime and other serious public safety issues. He also stressed the need to respect licensed firearm owners, including those who rely on hunting to support their families.
“The National Police Federation, the union representing RCMP members, has revealed that the Trudeau government’s council orders banning various firearms and a ‘buyback’ program divert police resources away from dealing with organized crime. said Cathers.
“RCMP members said the liberal federal government’s firearms policy was actually diverting critical personnel and resources from where they were most needed. We hope the territorial government will respect the will of the Yukon Legislature.”
The federal buyback program follows a 2020 law banning more than 1,500 models of so-called “assault-style” firearms, including the AR-15.
Ottawa says the buyback program will be “mandatory” and any Canadian-owned guns banned by the new law must be sold to the government at a price determined by the federal government or be “legally disposed of”. says that there is
Alberta was the first province to voice its opposition to buybacks, with Justice Minister Tyler Shandro saying at a press conference on September 26 that the state government would “take police out of the streets to confiscate law-abiding property.” I will not accept that,” he said. firearm owner. “
Saskatchewan followed suit two days later. State Minister of Corrections, Police and Public Safety, Christine Tell, wrote to RCMP Assistant Rhonda Blackmore that the state government “will not use any kind of state-funded resources for federal buybacks.” I am not allowed to use it,” he said.
Manitoba’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General Kelvin Geltzen said on Sept. 28 that Manitoba also did not want to dedicate “valuable state police resources” to the gun buyback program.
“Manitoba has consistently said our approach to gun violence is to focus on those who use their weapons for crime, not on law-abiding gun owners,” Gelzen said. said in a statement.
Peter Wilson contributed to this report.
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Rachel Emmanuel is in charge of federal and Alberta politics.
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