OTTAWA - The Canadian government will proceed with a review of its firearms classification system, according to Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree. This review will include consultations with Indigenous communities regarding the SKS rifle. The initiative was first announced in March and aims to reassess the legal framework governing firearms, ammunition, and magazines, focusing on simplicity and consistency.

The government has faced criticism from gun control advocates for not including the semi-automatic SKS in its list of banned firearms. Since May 2020, approximately 2,500 types of guns have been outlawed, with officials stating these weapons are more suited for battle than for hunting or sport shooting. To address the impact of these bans, the government plans to implement a buyback program to compensate owners of the prohibited firearms.

The SKS rifle is frequently used in Indigenous communities for hunting purposes. However, it has also been involved in several high-profile incidents, including police shootings. The gun control group PolySeSouvient has urged the government to ban the SKS but allow exemptions for Indigenous hunters who rely on the rifle for sustenance.

PolySeSouvient expressed cautious optimism about the government's commitment to the classification review and the focus on the SKS. "However, we are concerned about the lack of a precise timetable since new SKS sales should be banned by the time the financial compensation of the buyback starts being rolled out," the group stated. They emphasized that without halting future sales of the SKS, Canada would not achieve a complete ban on assault weapons or a successful buyback program.

PolySeSouvient was established following the tragic shooting at Montreal's École Polytechnique on December 6, 1989, where 14 women lost their lives. On the upcoming anniversary of this event, politicians will join the victims' families to commemorate their memory.

The federal classification review is also a response to a recommendation made by the Mass Casualty Commission, which investigated a mass shooting in rural Nova Scotia in April 2020 that resulted in 22 fatalities. This review aims to address ongoing concerns about gun violence and the effectiveness of current firearm regulations in Canada.