As the federal government moves ahead with its ban of more than 2,500 models of assault-style firearms, Saskatchewan police chiefs are questioning their role. “Is there going to be an expectation for police to show up at a doorstep?” Prince Albert Police Chief Patrick Nogier, who also heads the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs, questioned. The buyback program for the outlawed guns is starting with a six-week pilot project in Nova Scotia before rolling out nation-wide later this fall. Gun owners will be contacted with instructions to either surrender their firearms to police by scheduling an appointment online, or provide proof from a licensed gunsmith that the weapon has been deactivated. Nogier is concerned about the impact of policing resources by getting involved in Ottawa’s gun ban. “What’s going to fall off the table if there’s an expectation that we’re being dedicated towards this?” Nogier said. In his 33 years on the job, Nogier said the majority of gun violence he’s seen, involves illegal firearms. “Guns are being smuggled from across border,” Nogier said. In 91 per cent of shooting homicides, the accused did not have a valid firearms license, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada. “We’re targeting the wrong individuals. We’re targeting law-abiding gun owners, and taking firearms away from them,” Robert Freberg, Saskatchewan’s Firearms Commissioner, told CTV News. “They’re not the problem.” The federal government said the ban is part of “its long-standing commitment to tackling gun violence in Canadian communities.” But Freberg said the focus should be on tightening borders. “We need to re-direct our effort toward border security, mental health, domestic violence, smuggling,” he said.
