Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree announced that the federal government will implement a national gun buyback program following a pilot project in Nova Scotia. The pilot, which aimed to assess the program's effectiveness, reported low participation rates. "I will be showing our next steps on the program as we roll out throughout the country," Anandasangaree stated on Sunday. He emphasized the significance of expanding the program across Canada.

The pilot program began on October 1 in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, with a goal of collecting 200 assault-style firearms. However, official results have not yet been released. According to Coun. Glenn Paruch, chair of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s police commission, police have reportedly acquired up to 22 banned firearms during the pilot. If accurate, this figure represents only a small fraction of the target set by the federal government.

The pilot lasted six weeks and aimed to refine the buyback program before its national rollout. Anandasangaree described the pilot as a learning opportunity, noting that the government has addressed some initial technical issues. "We believe the systems are operational and are ready to go," he said.

Paruch refrained from labeling the pilot's results as successful but expressed optimism. "Let's say there [were] 22 guns here out of 200. Now you take that number and you put it nationally across Canada, you're probably going to get quite a few guns that way," he remarked.

The pilot faced opposition, with over 100 protesters rallying outside the Cape Breton Regional Police headquarters shortly after its launch. They called for the cancellation of the buyback program, arguing that the federal government is unfairly targeting law-abiding citizens.

Anandasangaree has faced scrutiny over comments made in a leaked audio recording, where he suggested that an acquaintance need not worry about arrest for not complying with the buyback program due to limited police resources. He later described those comments as "misguided" and reiterated that the buyback initiative is crucial for reducing gun crime.

Cape Breton Regional Police Chief Robert Walsh stated that he would not comment on the pilot's results, as it is a federal initiative. The government plans to use the insights gained from the pilot to enhance the program as it prepares for a broader implementation across Canada.