OTTAWA — A recent report from an expert panel advising the Canadian government on firearm regulations indicates that the government may have overlooked some of its recommendations regarding the SKS semi-automatic rifle. This firearm has become a contentious issue for the Liberal government, which has banned over 2,500 makes and models of guns since 2020. The government has been deliberating for more than a year on whether to prohibit the purchase or sale of the SKS, a decision complicated by perceptions from gun lobby groups that the Liberals are "anti-gun."

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree informed the Commons Security Committee in October that he was awaiting guidance from an expert panel before making a decision on the SKS. "The determination about the SKS is with an expert committee, an expert panel — that is, with law enforcement — and it is up to law enforcement to make their recommendation. At this point, there is no recommendation about this," he stated on October 9.

However, the panel had already issued its recommendations nearly a year earlier, suggesting that the government should prohibit or at least restrict newer models of the SKS that feature detachable magazines. The panel specifically mentioned the Kodiak Defence Scorpio SKS-15 but expressed reluctance to recommend a broad ban on the Soviet-era firearm. They also suggested further study regarding a potential prohibition for Indigenous communities, where the SKS is commonly used for hunting.

The panel noted, "Simonov SKS 1945 in its original form did not use a detachable magazine. More recent designs with detachable magazines should be either restricted or prohibited." The report was sent to the government on January 31, 2025, and a redacted version was posted online by Public Safety Canada on Thursday. This release coincided with Anandasangaree's announcement of a review of the firearms classification system, which the expert panel had recommended and the government had committed to in March.

Anandasangaree also promised to establish a new advisory group to consult with Indigenous rights holders regarding the future of the SKS. His announcements came just days before the 36th anniversary of the Ecole Polytechnique shooting in Montreal, where a gunman killed 14 women and injured others. Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to attend a vigil on Saturday.

The expert panel, which began meeting in December 2024, was provided with a list of firearms that shared characteristics with those banned by the government in May 2020 and December 2022. Less than two months after receiving the January report, the Liberals announced a new set of prohibited firearms that did not include any SKS models. At that time, the government stated it would review Canada’s complex firearms classification system, including the SKS.

Anandasangaree indicated that this review would begin soon. Heidi Rathjen, a graduate of Ecole Polytechnique and coordinator of the gun-control group PolySeSouvient, expressed disappointment that the government opted for further consultation instead of implementing the panel's recommendations regarding the SKS. "It’s really regrettable that the government decided to do more consultation instead of just implementing this recommendation, which we consider to be a fair compromise," she said.

Nathalie Provost, Carney’s secretary of state for nature and a former gun-control advocate, emphasized the need for the government to ensure the SKS is banned. PolySeSouvient argues that the government could take immediate action to ban modern SKS models while allowing exemptions for Indigenous hunters who use them for hunting.

With the Liberals planning to launch a buyback program for owners of banned firearms by the end of the year, Rathjen warned that allowing modern SKS models to remain available would undermine the program's objectives. "I think that would mean that the money would be wasted and the public safety objectives of the buyback will not be met," she stated.

The Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights criticized the panel's report, claiming it calls for banning firearms used for hunting. Its CEO referred to the panel as a "secret committee" and accused the government of excluding their organization from consultations. "In this latest announcement, the government continues to grossly mislead Canadians about the types of firearms that are being banned and the reasons for their prohibition," Rod Giltaca wrote in an email.

Simon Lafortune, a spokesman for Anandasangaree, reiterated that the SKS will be studied by a new advisory committee that will be formed soon as part of the broader review of the firearms classification system. He emphasized that the report highlighted the need for further examination regarding the prohibition of SKS models. Lafortune also noted that the outcomes of the January report did not include dedicated Indigenous consultations, which is why the government plans to conduct those consultations with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities.