OTTAWA — The federal government plans to begin a buyback of assault-style firearms from individual owners with a pilot project in Nova Scotia. The pilot will be open to eligible gun owners in select areas of Cape Breton to ensure it runs smoothly before being launched across the country. Firearms owners can access a web portal as of Oct. 1 to file a declaration of interest. "You cannot be serious about being tough on crime if you're not willing to be tough on guns," Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree told media Tuesday on Parliament Hill. Firearm rights advocates and the federal Conservatives have described the program as a poor use of taxpayer dollars targeted at law-abiding gun owners.