Far too often in politics, promises are made during campaigns and quietly forgotten after election day. I have always believed that when you give your word to the people you represent, you keep it. That is why I remain firmly opposed to the Liberal firearm confiscation program, officially known as the assault-style rifles compensation program.

This program will not make our communities safer. It carries a significant cost to taxpayers while focusing on individuals who are already licensed, trained, and thoroughly vetted. At a time when violent crime and gang activity remain real concerns, public policy should be driven by evidence and measurable results, not symbolism.

Before spending hundreds of millions, we should ask one basic question: Will this program reduce gun crime?

Many front-line police officers have expressed serious doubts. Clayton Campbell,president of the Toronto Police Association, has questioned the wisdom of diverting substantial resources toward confiscating legally owned firearms while illegal guns continue to drive violent crime in major cities. That concern should not be dismissed.