Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed his support for Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree amidst calls from the Conservatives for Anandasangaree to resign following a leaked conversation with his tenant. Carney, speaking at a press briefing at the United Nations, emphasized his confidence in the minister’s vital work.
An audio recording of the conversation surfaced, revealing the minister’s doubts about the effectiveness of the Liberal government’s gun buyback initiative. Anandasangaree also hinted at personally compensating a gun owner who felt unfairly compensated by the government. In the recording, he mentioned that municipal police lacked the resources to enforce compliance with turning in banned firearms.
The Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights disseminated the recording, which was recorded without the minister’s knowledge. The leak occurred shortly before Anandasangaree disclosed the upcoming launch of the government’s gun buyback program, set to commence with a pilot project in Cape Breton, N.S.
Anandasangaree defended the program in response to the controversy, asserting that law-abiding citizens would comply with the regulations. He expressed confidence in law enforcement’s ability to uphold the law and stressed the importance of police across Canada being able to enforce the Criminal Code in a rule of law nation.