Why did Canada declare the Proud Boys a terror group?
Advocates have cautioned that expanding the state’s power to tackle hate this way could backfire on marginalized communities.
Hey there, and welcome to the 17th issue of The Supplement, a newsletter that fills in the gaps of your other news intake. This is Alex, one-third of The Supplement team!
Each week, we pick a question submitted by you, our readers. If you’d like to submit a question for a future week — it can seriously be about anything — then email us at thesupplementnewsletter@gmail.com. Let’s be friends on Instagram as well!
This week, we’re tackling this question: Why did Canada declare the Proud Boys a terror group?
TL;DR: Canada has designated the Proud Boys a terror group following its group members’ involvement in the US insurrection. It’s also not the only far-right extremist group to receive the label. Altogether, this news is putting the spotlight on far-right extremism, a major issue for Canada. But advocates have cautioned that expanding the state’s power to tackle hate this way could backfire on marginalized communities.
First, let’s break down the BIG news.
Canada has now designated the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group, as a terrorist entity. Last week, Parliament voted to call on the federal government to do so because of the group members’ involvement in the US insurrection. (The group is also the one Donald Trump told to “stand back and stand by” during a presidential debate.) This designation means that while it’s not a crime to be a member, the Proud Boys will face significant restrictions on their finances and mobility.
The Proud Boys is not the only group to receive the label. Including the two groups added in 2019, there are now six far-right groups on the list.
Other big ones are Atomwaffen Division and The Base, which are violent neo-Nazi groups that seek to bring down Western governments by stoking chaos. (This ideology is known as accelerationism.) To learn more, VICE journalists Ben Makuch and Mack Lamoureux have done a lot of reporting on them. Notably, Winnipeg Free Press journalist Ryan Thorpe infiltrated The Base in 2019.
Amongst the reporters’ most concerning findings is the far-right’s involvement in the Canadian military.
Through his investigation, Thorpe was able to identify Patrik Mathews, a former Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) member, as an alleged Base member. (Mathews fled to the US but has been arrested.) And a 2018 military report connects over 50 CAF members to hate groups or incidents since 2013.
So how widespread is far-right extremism in Canada?
Experts say there are around 300 functioning far-right groups here. Researchers have also identified “6,660 right-wing extremist channels, pages, groups and accounts across 7 social media platforms'' — and Canadians are found to be the most active users. On the receiving end, a recent survey says 20 per cent of Canadians have experienced one or more types of online hate, and 42 per cent have seen or experienced content that incites violence.
Plus, far-right extremism covers not only white supremacy and neo-Nazism, but also the manosphere which runs on intense misogyny. (An example is the 2018 Toronto van attack carried out by a self-described incel.) Homophobia and transphobia are rampant as well.
Ok, this sounds bad. What’s being done?
Besides the terror group designations, the federal government is working on measures to regulate social media platforms and curb online hate. Those could be unveiled to Parliament in the next few months.
And four years after the 2017 Quebec City mosque shooting, Canada has established January 29 as the national day of remembrance for the victims and action against Islamophobia.
Will they be enough?
Advocates say more remains to be done because Canada, whose history is rooted in colonialism, is no stranger to far-right extremism. (On top of anti-Indigenous violence, North America’s first recorded race riot actually happened in 1784 in what’s now Nova Scotia, with white Loyalists attacking Black Loyalists.) But some have also warned that expanding the state’s power to tackle this kind of extremism could be used against marginalized communities engaging in civil disobedience, like Indigenous land defenders.
Here’s someone to follow:
This explainer barely scratches the surface of far-right extremism in Canada. If you want to learn more, follow the journalists we’ve linked or mentioned above. The Canadian Anti-Hate Network, an organization that monitors and counters hate groups, is also a good resource to know.
Here’s a story to check out:
Ok, lots of news this week. Here’s another noteworthy story: at least 48 agencies in Canada, including many police forces, have used Clearview AI’s facial recognition software. Federal and some provincial privacy commissioners have publicly stated that they consider Clearview AI’s practice a “clear violation” of Canada’s privacy rights — but it remains to be seen if this would result in any new laws