Some guns turned in to buyback program, Cape Breton police commissioner says

Official results of the federal government's banned gun buyback pilot program are not yet available, but the chair of Cape Breton Regional Municipality's police commission says he's heard it has had some uptake.

The topic was not on Monday's commission agenda, but after the meeting, Coun. Glenn Paruch said he's heard police have bought back up to 22 outlawed firearms.

"It tells me that there are some people out there that wanted to pass in guns," he said. "What it says for the potential project itself, I honestly can't comment on that until I talk to the chief and get the actual numbers on it."

Paruch wouldn't say whether that number should be considered successful, but was supportive.

"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 said.

In September, Cape Breton Regional Police Chief Robert Walsh was in Ottawa as part of a federal announcement about a pilot program to offer money to owners of up to 2,500 banned makes and models of what are being called assault-style firearms.

The project started Oct. 1 and was to last six weeks, with the results being used to refine the program before rolling it out nationally.

Despite being available for comment at the start of the pilot, Walsh said Monday he has agreed with Public Safety Canada to not comment on the results.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss the project, because it's the federal government's project, so everything in relation to that, you'll have to ask them," he said.

Comment from Public Safety Canada was not immediately available on Monday.

Federal officials and Cape Breton police were confident they would be able to collect up to the estimated 200 banned firearms in parts of CBRM, specifically in the communities of Sydney, North Sydney and Glace Bay.

However, more than 100 people rallied outside police headquarters at the start of the program, saying the project criminalizes law-abiding citizens. Officials at the rally urged owners to not comply.

Paruch said gun buyback is an important issue among some constituents and he believes police should be able to provide the results of the pilot program.

"It's a hot-button topic and I don't like the fact that any level of government is trying to silence someone from what they can and cannot say," he said.