The federal government’s latest firearms ban has reignited controversy—not only over its impact on Canadian gun owners but also its announcement of plans to potentially donate newly prohibited weapons to Ukraine. Critics are questioning whether Canada’s priorities are misaligned as the country contemplates sending confiscated firearms abroad amid ongoing debates about gun policy.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced Thursday the prohibition of 324 additional firearm models, calling them "weapons that belong on the battlefield, not in the hands of hunters or sport shooters." Defence Minister Bill Blair added that Ottawa has approached Ukraine to explore how the banned firearms could support its fight against Russia’s invasion.

"Every bit of assistance we can offer to the Ukrainians is one step toward their victory," Blair said at a news conference.

Since the start of Russia’s invasion in 2022, Canada has committed substantial financial and military support to Ukraine, totaling billions of dollars. The idea of sending prohibited firearms abroad has raised eyebrows among Canadian taxpayers and gun owners, many of whom feel targeted by the government’s domestic policies.

Buyback details unclear

The federal government plans to compensate affected gun owners and businesses through a buyback program, but details on funding and logistics remain unclear. Meanwhile, critics argue that banning firearms already owned by law-abiding citizens does little to address the root causes of gun violence in Canada.

Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party, called the policy a "stunt," accusing the government of attacking licensed and law-abiding hunters and sport shooters instead of focusing on illegal firearms smuggling. Statistics Canada reports that in 2022, firearm-related violent crime hit a 14-year high, with a significant share of the guns used in crimes smuggled illegally into the country.

The government’s focus on prohibiting specific firearm models, such as those newly banned Thursday, follows gun-control advocates’ concerns that many firearms were not addressed in a 2020 ban. Critics, however, argue that these measures do little more than punish law-abiding gun owners.