Ottawa launches review of gun rules
The federal government is moving ahead with a promised review of Canada’s firearms classification system, and the SKS rifle is front and centre in that debate. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says the review will look at how guns, ammunition and magazines are classified, with a focus on clearer, more consistent rules.
The move comes shortly after the minister visited Surrey to announce new federal funding to support victims of extortion and organized crime, an issue that has hit local South Asian businesses and families hard. For Surrey residents, the gun review and crime funding are part of the same conversation about safety, enforcement and long-term prevention.
Why the SKS rifle is in the spotlight
Since May 2020, Ottawa has prohibited about 2,500 models of firearms it says belong on the battlefield rather than in the hands of hunters or sport shooters. The government also plans a buyback program to compensate owners of now-banned guns. The SKS, however, was not included on that original list, and that decision has drawn heavy criticism from gun-control advocates.
The SKS is popular in many Indigenous communities as an affordable rifle for hunting and sustenance. At the same time, it has been linked to police killings and several high‑profile shootings, which is why groups like PolySeSouvient are calling for it to be added to the prohibited list, with a specific exemption allowing Indigenous hunters to keep using it for food security.
Balancing safety, rights and reconciliation
Anandasangaree says the classification review will include direct consultations with Indigenous communities on the future of the SKS. That means Ottawa will have to balance public-safety concerns with treaty rights, hunting traditions and the realities of rural life.
PolySeSouvient has welcomed the review but warns that without a clear timeline to stop new SKS sales, Canada will not have a fully effective assault‑style weapons ban or buyback. The group, founded after the École Polytechnique massacre, also notes that the review would finally act on a key recommendation from the inquiry into the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting.
What it could mean for Surrey
For Surrey, federal gun rules can feel distant, but they connect directly to the city’s ongoing fight against gang violence, extortion and organized crime. Local police have repeatedly raised concerns about the flow of both legal and illegal firearms into the Lower Mainland.
As Ottawa tightens its classification system and funds enforcement and victim supports, Surrey residents will be watching to see whether these national changes translate into fewer guns on local streets and stronger protection for businesses and families targeted by violence and intimidation.
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