Rebel News Podcast

Episode: SHEILA GUNN REID | Gun grab flops: Tracey Wilson explains the Liberals’ embarrassing buyback 'pilot'
Date: January 15, 2026
Host: Sheila Gunn Reid
Guest: Tracey Wilson (Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights)

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the Canadian federal government’s controversial gun buyback program, often referred to by critics as the “gun grab.” Host Sheila Gunn Reid is joined by Tracey Wilson from the Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights (CCFR) to dissect the pilot project’s humiliating results, the underlying flaws in the legislation and execution, how the government narrative misleads the public, and why gun owners continue to resist. The conversation also touches on provincial resistance, police frustration with resource allocation, and ongoing legal and advocacy work.

Key Discussion Points

Government "Gun Grab" Buyback: A Failing Project (00:00-08:32)

• Incompetence Celebrated: Sheila opens by ironically praising government incompetence as the gun buyback continues to flop, highlighting waste of taxpayer money inflicted on law-abiding Canadians.
• Core Critique: The program criminalizes previously legal property without ever linking these owners to crime.
• Pilot Project in Cape Breton:
  • Aiming to collect 200 firearms as a “test,” only 25 guns from 16 people were handed in.
  • Tracey: “Testing a program of this scope and complexity on 16 people and Gary saying it was a huge success is not just laughable, it's actually concerning...” (03:03)
• Failure Framed as Success:
  • The government claims the project is successful despite “whopper of a lie” (Tracey, 03:03).
  • Sheila: "They just keep proceeding with this thing and, and claiming it's a success. Like, there we have the evidence that it's not. But they will get up and hold a press conference saying what a wild success it was." (04:40)
• Financial Waste:
  • Cost projected to exceed $1 billion, possibly $2 billion.
• Targeting Vulnerable Citizens:
  • Uptake primarily from people with no gun knowledge or in financial distress—widows, those “hard up for money.”
  • Sheila: “I think the liberals have...never actually talked to a gun owner because for so many of us, it isn't about the compensation…it's about freedom, it's about property rights...” (10:56)

System Manipulation & Misinformation (05:27-14:38)

• Public Safety Pretense Debunked:
  • Leaked audio of Public Safety Minister Gary Ananda Sangari reveals, in private, he does not intend to enforce the buyback strictly and admits it won’t improve public safety (Tracey, 05:27).
  • The process requires self-reporting and a government-run portal. The government only knows about previously registered firearms (e.g., AR15s).
  • “The only purpose for registration is confiscation.” (Tracey, 05:27)
• Compensation Issues:
  • Reimbursement often far lower than advertised (“less than half” of promised value – Tracey, 05:27).
  • "In fact, less than 1% of gun owners will get paid. And those who do get paid will get ripped off." (Tracey, 08:20)
  • A sense of "Hunger Games for gun owners" – forcing people to compete for capped compensation funds (Tracey, 09:43).
• Gun Owners’ Advice:
  • “Hold the line a little longer and see what happens,” especially since an amnesty is in place until at least October 2026 with potential for extension (Tracey, 09:43).

Statistical Games & Media Handling (11:26-14:38)

• Manipulating Public Perception:
  • Gov’t cites a target of 152,000 firearms for buyback, when in reality over 2 million are eligible.
  • "If they end up collecting, let's say, 70,000 guns…Meanwhile, the true number is well over 2 million guns. And there, it's never going to happen." (Tracey, 11:58)
• Media Exclusion:
  • Knowledgeable journalists (like those from Caliber Magazine) are excluded from press conferences, with preference given to mainstream outlets less informed about firearms (Sheila, 12:41).
  • “They rely on the ignorance of the mainstream media and the ignorance of the liberal voter...It’s very predatory.” (Sheila, 12:41)
• Policy Discussion Echo Chamber:
  • Preferred media simply repeat government lines without investigation (Tracey, 13:36).
  • Reference to Gary’s private admission that enforcement is unlikely unless self-reporting occurs.

Provincial Resistance and Political Fallout (14:38-16:38)

• Provinces Push Back:
  • Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Yukon institute creative measures to resist federal policy.
  • Saskatchewan creates a firearms agency but doesn’t fund it (“perfectly Scott Moe” – Sheila, 14:38).
  • Yukon outright refuses to cooperate, citing subsistence needs for firearms.
• Quebec’s Tradeoff:
  • Sells out for $12 million, which is “peanuts,” showing how little the government values citizens’ rights (Tracey, 15:28).
• Reluctant Opposition:
  • Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford refrains from bold moves, wanting to preserve his majority.
• National Sentiment Evolving:
  • "Almost the entire country stacked up against it. Law enforcement's been very vocal about not supporting this. ...I think the appetite for this stuff is, is it's over. Like it's done." (Tracey, 16:38)

Crime, Policing & Public Perceptions (17:24-21:10)

• Crime Ignored, Gun Owners Targeted:
  • CCFR’s social media documents violent crime and failures of liberal bail laws, highlighting a disregard for real public safety challenges.
  • Example: Woman forced to kill a man in self-defense due to lack of effective public safety (Sheila, 17:24; Tracey, 18:12).
  • “We are the public safety lobby.” (Tracey, 18:12)
• Frustration Among Police:
  • Federal focus on confiscating legal firearms demoralizes police forced to release repeat offenders (Sheila, 19:40).
  • Even police unions have begun to oppose Liberal policies in favor of meaningful reform (Tracey, 20:28).

Government Ignorance & Partisanship (21:10-23:32)

• Ministers' Lack of Knowledge:
  • Public Safety ministers are often ignorant of basic gun laws; don’t know that partners must sign off on licenses or that Canada already has 'red-flag' laws.
  • “I think if you're going to be the Public Safety minister, scapegoating an entire population...they should at least have to subject themselves to the RPAL course. They really should.” (Sheila, 21:10)
  • Tracey: “...a simple one-pager could have gone a long way for him...To think not only did his department not prepare him...he didn’t bother to look into it himself.” (21:54)
• Gun Control Not a Top Political Issue:
  • "Gun control was not even in the top 25 issues in the last election, but public safety was." (Tracey, 23:30)

Community Building & Advocacy (23:32-27:28)

• Toronto Sportsman Show:
  • CCFR sponsors the hunting hall, offers interactive activities (laser ranges for kids), underscores their commitment to heritage (Tracey, 24:07).
• Supporting Legal Resistance:
  • CCFR’s costly, time-consuming legal challenges are ongoing (25:30).
  • Ways to help: Donations, volunteering, and participating at events.
• Staying Informed:
  • Biweekly “CCFR Radio” podcast/tv show helps gun owners track developments.
  • “I just need the truth and I need to know what’s going on. Yeah, I watch CCFR Radio.” (Tracey, 25:48)
• Merchandise for Support:
  • CCFR’s app and online store fund legal and advocacy efforts.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the pilot’s failure:
  “Testing a program of this scope and complexity on 16 people and Gary saying that it was a huge success is not just laughable, it's actually concerning for the competence of...Gary in particular, like just a whopper of a lie.”
  — Tracey Wilson [03:03]

• On compensation reality:
  "Less than 1% of gun owners will get paid. And those who do get paid will get ripped off. I don't...I don't understand what they're doing here."
  — Tracey Wilson [08:20]

• On strategy:
  “My message is, a lot can change between now and next October...just hold the line a little longer and see what happens.”
  — Tracey Wilson [09:43]

• On media exclusion:
  “The liberals limit their press conferences exclusively pretty well to the mainstream media...because they don’t generally know anything about anything on this issue. It’s very predatory.”
  — Sheila Gunn Reid [12:41]

• On the mood in law enforcement:
  “All of these different...organizations stacking up against the gun grab and wanting real credible public safety measures. You know, how is it possible that you’ve got Gary just...wanting to collect my competition rifle, like, it would actually be hilarious if it wasn’t so freaking tragic, you know?”
  — Tracey Wilson [20:28]

• On deeper motivations:
  “For so many of us, it isn't about the compensation...it's about freedom, it's about property rights, and it's about not being scapegoated for the failures of the liberal government to address the crime rates in this country.”
  — Sheila Gunn Reid [10:56]

Segment Timestamps Guide

| Time | Segment / Topic | |--------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Introduction, critique of the gun buyback | | 03:03 | Tracey Wilson on the pilot’s results & government spin | | 05:27 | Buyback process: compensation, self-reporting, pitfalls | | 09:43 | "Hunger Games" analogy, advice for gun owners | | 11:26 | Gov't numbers versus reality, manipulation | | 12:41 | Media exclusion, controlling the narrative | | 14:38 | Provincial and territorial pushback | | 17:24 | Crime, law enforcement frustration, public safety concerns | | 21:10 | Ministerial ignorance, scapegoating gun owners | | 23:32 | Toronto Sportsman Show, community and advocacy | | 25:30 | CCFR legal fight, supporting the cause | | 27:28 | Closing remarks, ways to engage, merch store |

Tone & Language

Throughout the episode, the tone is critical of the government—wry, indignant, and deeply skeptical, but also supportive and community-oriented toward gun owners. The discussion is candid, sometimes sarcastic, and often personal, especially when referencing how governmental actions directly impact everyday Canadians.

Useful for Listeners

This summary encapsulates the episode’s focus on the government's failed approach to gun control, the tangible disconnect with the realities of firearm ownership in Canada, the growing network of resistance—both among citizens and provinces—as well as the cultural and legal battles still underway. Quotes and timestamps offer points of deeper engagement for advocacy or research. The episode is essential listening for those following Canadian gun legislation, civil liberties issues, or looking for community and information on resisting new regulations.