For sure, to carry a pistol in Canada legally would require an act of God, unless you are a police officer. This eliminates it altogether as a survival tool in all except home defence situations, for all law abiding citizens anyway. There are some very nifty combo rifles that chamber .22 cal as well as .410 bore and are very compact and light. I find them a little inaccurate and clumsy personally. They actually are sold as survival guns though.(check out the Springfield Armory M-6 Scout). My survival gun which I carry in the field for backpacking is the trusty old Ruger 10/22 in stainless and synthetic. I use an Eberlestock J104 backpack which has an incorporated scabbard for a rifle. This allows me free use of both hands while keeping my rifle safe and out of my way unless I need it. After big game and Goose hunting seasons are over I like to combine hiking with rabbit hunting just to have something to hunt in the off season, especially late in winter when you can add ice fishing in there as an added bonus. For this reason I probably have had my Ruger in the field more than any of my other guns. I feel a hell of a lot better with it than without it because I will not lie to you fine people, but even with 11 years in the Army I have been turned around in a storm and "geographically embarrassed" more than once looking for my truck. In northern Canada in winter the temp can drop to -50 deg cel. The only food you get besides ice fishing will be what you already have, what you shoot, or what you snare. Good luck looking for berries like you can do in warmer places. Every place has different things to consider when lost. In Alberta during winter my immediate need in a bad situation is shelter and fire, fast. I could live for weeks without food, and in Canada you can close your eyes and walk 50 feet in any direction to find water in most places. But I will freeze to death very fast. In all honesty, I do not NEED a survival rifle. I just very much ENJOY having a trusty firearm at my side in the woods.