Gun Control Group Urges Inclusion of SKS Rifle in Canadian Buyback Program
A prominent gun control group, PolySeSouvient, is urging the Canadian federal government to include the semi-automatic SKS rifle in its planned buyback program for “assault-style” firearms. The group argues that excluding the SKS would render the program ineffective and a waste of taxpayer money.
The Scope of the Current Gun Ban and Buyback
Since May 2020, the Canadian government has outlawed approximately 2,500 types of firearms, deeming them suitable for the battlefield rather than for hunting or sport shooting. The government plans to launch a buyback program to compensate owners of these newly prohibited firearms. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree is scheduled to announce the latest details of the program, including a pilot project in Nova Scotia, on Tuesday.
The Controversy Surrounding the SKS Rifle
Despite the broad scope of the gun ban, the SKS rifle has not been included. This decision has drawn criticism, particularly from PolySeSouvient, who argue that the SKS is a dangerous weapon that should be removed from circulation. While the rifle is commonly used by Indigenous communities for hunting, it has also been implicated in police killings and other high-profile shootings.
PolySeSouvient's Demands and Concerns
PolySeSouvient is advocating for an immediate ban on new sales of the SKS, the removal of modern, assault-style versions of the rifle, and a voluntary buyback of older models. The group believes that failure to address the SKS will undermine the effectiveness of the entire buyback program. They argue that new SKS models will simply replace the outlawed firearms, resulting in "a waste of hundreds-of-millions of taxpayers’ dollars" and enriching gun manufacturers.
"Nothing will change in the long run, other than a waste of hundreds-of-millions of taxpayers’ dollars. Much of the buyback money will be injected into the gun industry, making manufacturers richer and the gun lobby stronger." - PolySeSouvient
Impact of Excluding the SKS
PolySeSouvient contends that without a prohibition on the SKS, Canada lacks a comprehensive ban on assault-style weapons. They warn that leaving the rifle available for purchase will flood the market and negate the intended effects of the buyback program. The organization characterizes the exclusion of the SKS as "a public safety failure".
