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Vikram Bajwa urges emergency gun licences for 500 in Surrey
He mentioned that residents have been exercising their daily lives in fear and anxiety, having their movements restricted, and avoiding social outings.
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Rwittika Chakraborty
- Thu, 05, Feb 2026
- 03:23 EST
- 27
Representative image of a man holding a gun / Pexels
Vikram Bajwa, a resident of Surrey, British Columbia, has called for the expedited issuance of 500 gun licences for citizens to arm themselves against rising cases of extortion-related violence.
In a letter to the Premier of British Columbia, David Eby, Bajwa urged the introduction of an emergency bill to fast-track possession and acquisition licences for himself and other affected residents.
ALSO READ: Extortions rock Canada's Indian community
Bajwa described the severity of the situation by saying that people must become “British Columbia vigilante cowboys” to counter the threats.
He mentioned that residents have been exercising their daily lives in fear and anxiety, having their movements restricted, and avoiding social outings.
Bajwa further stated that there have been four extortion-related shootings in Surrey since Jan. 15, along with four other shootings and 34 reported extortion cases since the beginning of the year.
Business owners with an income of half a million dollars annually are among the most vulnerable, according to Bajwa.
He also explained that the figure of 500 licences was chosen deliberately as it includes almost one-quarter of about 1,800 members of the Chamber of Commerce in the Lower Mainland.
He believes that arming a significant number of residents would aid in restoring confidence in the community.
Bajwa also expressed his complaints towards the current firearms licensing process, which can take 45 days or more and up to 90-120 days in some cases, including a mandatory 28-day waiting period for first-time applicants.
He spoke about the U.S. self-defence laws, making the argument that if such regulations work in America, why can they not be implemented in BC.
The proposal has received pushback from authorities, including BC Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger, who rejected calls for vigilantism and wrote on X,
“Vigilantism is never a solution to these crimes and people should understand that if they choose to use firearms in response to gunfire, they could be subject to police investigation and possible criminal charges.”
Krieger also highlighted that firearm licensing falls under federal jurisdiction, not provincial authority, and stated the government’s commitment to supporting police efforts against extortion.
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