Canadian armed forces are not alone. Right-wing extremism has, for a long while, been resurgent all over Canada. Still, it has mainly gone unattended compared to the prominent focus on the likes of ISIS, al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, etc.
CVE experts have long concluded that radicalisation occurs the same way in RWE as it does in the ranks of other extremist groups. They are intolerant by nature, but when the ideological rhetoric is activated, they cross the line into extremism exactly the same way.
Many might not even know, but we are hit by a third convoy in Ottawa this weekend in less than two years. The hate and violence associated with this mixed bag of right-wing extremism have become impossible to dismiss.
RWE nearly accounts for more extremist groups and well-established networks than all other types combined. Hate crimes are on the rise all over Canada. Openly hostile rhetoric is sharply up and embraced by some politicians and political parties. Yet law enforcement and media coverage still run almost exclusively toward news of ISIS, Boko Haram, Al Shabaab, etc.
– A few quick recommendations:
– Intelligence agencies need to share more info about the RWE publicly. An aware public is more resilient.
– The government needs to increase Public Safety funding for CVE work, so it’s equitably implemented across the full spectrum of extremist threats by many orgs.
– Design & integrate resilience-building programs at all government/law enforcement/military levels to include public education.
– Apply the same scrutiny to RWE social media and other communication channels regarding recruitment, radicalisation, displaying confederate flags, and incitement as against all other forms of extremism.
– Apply the adage “if it bleeds, it leads” to all extremist activity, not selectively to a few. Remember: it took decades to minimize the KKK, a couple of decades to inform the public about Muslim extremist groups, and there is no reason less effort and time will require for RWE.
– We must prioritise law enforcement at all levels to take on all extremist activities proportionally. This includes “treating the symptoms” through arrests/prosecution, etc., and training about radicalisation, mitigating recruitment, etc.
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