Kelly Pierce, a resident of Yellowknife, enjoys using her Plainfield Machine M1 Carbine firearm for recreational target practice at the shooting range. Unfortunately, this particular firearm is among those banned in Canada and included in a federal gun buyback initiative. To comply with Ottawa’s mandate, firearm owners like Pierce must safely dispose of or permanently deactivate their assault-style firearms by October 30 to avoid potential criminal repercussions for possessing a prohibited weapon.
However, navigating the federal buyback program in the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) poses challenges as the territorial government has opted not to oversee its administration. Consequently, residents like Pierce are left without clear guidance on how to proceed. In a recent news release, the N.W.T. government disclosed that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the territory would not be involved in the program either.
Logistical obstacles, such as a lack of local service providers in the region, have led Public Safety Canada to permit N.W.T. firearm owners to utilize mailed return kits for complying with the buyback program. While alternative collection methods tailored for northern communities are mentioned, specific details remain undisclosed.
Pierce expressed frustration at the lack of clarity regarding the firearm return process, emphasizing the need for more information. Meanwhile, Jonathan Rocheleau, president of the Yellowknife Shooting Club, highlighted the existing difficulty in returning firearms in the N.W.T., citing a previous unsuccessful attempt to surrender firearms to the RCMP.
Dettah Chief Ernest Betsina criticized the federal program at the Dene National Assembly of First Nations, denouncing additional restrictions imposed on community members. The N.W.T. government echoed the call for transparent communication between the federal government and Indigenous governments in the region regarding the buyback program.
Efforts to obtain additional insights from Public Safety Canada, Yellowknives Dene First Nation, and N.W.T. MP Rebecca Alty’s office regarding the implications of the federal program in the North were met with limited responses before publication. Alty’s office reiterated that the buyback program primarily targets assault-style firearms intended for maximum harm, rather than restricting hunting or sport shooting activities.