The Increased National Threat of Domestic, Right-Wing Extremist Terrorism Caitlin Manz, CASIS-Vancouver Executive Summary Right-wing extremism (RWE) presents a national Canadian threat, requiring research and Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) programming, which Canadian security and intelligence is arguably failing to recognize and address. A rise in RWE activity, in response to U.S and European right-wing movements is occurring across the country, and Canada is at-risk for a large RWE attack, or series of attacks. Canada could be perceived to be ill-equipped against such attacks unless its security, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies begin to investigate and take seriously the RWE threat. Purpose Statement RWE in Canada is a security threat due to the rise in hate-related incidents, RWE group gatherings and militarization; the increase in RWE incidents across the border and in Europe, inspiring reactionary attacks in Canada; and the tendency for officials to trivialize the threat of RWE (Ellis & Parent, 2016; Perry & Scrivens, 2016; Perry & Scrivens, 2017; Public Safety Canada, 2017). Canada must engage in CVE programming which is multidimensional, involving law enforcement, education, social services, etc., to tackle the multifaceted foundations of RWE (Perry & Scrivens, 2017). Problem Statement Canadian RWE groups are capable of conducting serious acts of politically motivated violence, as evident during the right-wing militia demonstration in Calgary, as well as the cooperative right-wing rally in Vancouver, both in 2017 (Ball, 2017; Eagland, 2017; Lamoureux, 2017). RWE groups are mobilizing and militarizing themselves, to preserve white power and culture (Ellis & Parent, 2016; Jacoby, 2016). This presents a threat to Canadian’s human security, as there is a continued increase in hate-related incidents against non-White, and immigrant civilians, which could eventually lead to a large-scale RWE attack, or series of attacks (Ellis & Parent, 2016; Jacoby, 2016; Public Safety Canada, 2017). Background & Key Facts RWE can be defined as a loose movement with a focus on a racially, ethnically, defined nationalism. This nationalism is framed in terms of white power and Caitlin Manz Page 2 The Journal of Intelligence, Conflict and Warfare preserving white culture from ‘threats’ posed by non-Whites, Jews, immigrants, homosexuals, and feminists (Perry & Scrivens, 2016). RWE encompasses a collection of groups and individuals advocating a range of grievances, and positions (Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), 2016). RWE view the government as serving the interests of other groups at the expense of whites, therefore, they see it as illegitimate (Perry & Scrivens, 2016). RWE advocate for offensive and defensive means to preserve their heritage and ‘homeland’ (Perry & Scrivens, 2016). RWE incidents are conducted by individuals affiliated with white supremacist groups, such as the Neo-Nazis, Aryan Guard, Blood and Honour, Western European Bloodlines, Hammer Heads, Northwest Imperative, The White Boy Posse, True White Boys, and Vinland Front Skinheads (Ellis & Parent, 2016; RCMP, 2016). The Blood and Honour have been the most active and violent RWE group in Canada, with the Ku Klux Klan, Neo-Nazi Skinheads, and World Church of the Creator remaining active in Quebec (Ellis & Parent, 2016). Increased mobilization and cooperation of RWE groups is evident via the right- wing rally in Vancouver in August, 2017, which involved numerous groups such as the Soldiers of Odin, the Cultural Action Party, and the Worldwide Coalition Against Islam gathering in supportive response to the Charlottesville RWE rally (Ball, 2017; Eagland, 2017). A militarized demonstration occurred in Calgary in 2017, by the group 111% (the Three Percent) who dressed in uniforms, armed with shock canes, regular canes, and clubs (Lamoureux, 2017). This group has a national presence, containing over 1600 members, and has been forming itself into a militia, discussing battle strategies, as well as stating that they are ready to go to war to stop the Islamic invasion of Canada (Lamoureux, 2017). There are at least one hundred active RWE Canadian groups, and incidents have been steadily rising since 2003 (Ellis & Parent, 2016). RWE incidents since 2001 have been concentrated in Alberta, but have also occurred in British Colombia, Quebec, and Ontario (Ellis & Parent, 2016). Canadian RWE incidents are usually spontaneous, unplanned, and opportunistic attacks, conducted by an individual or a small group, involving unarmed or armed assaults, targeting individuals with specific racial or religious identities (Ellis & Parent, 2016). Caitlin Manz Page 3 The Journal of Intelligence, Conflict and Warfare Key Considerations & Implications Limitations exist on countering violent extremism in Canada. There is a bias towards countering radical Islamic extremists (Perry & Scrivens, 2017). This results in a failure to address RWE (Perry & Scrivens, 2017). Second, there is a tendency for officials to deny or trivialize the threat of RWE in Canada (Perry & Scrivens, 2016; Perry & Scrivens, 2017). It could, therefore, be argued that law enforcement has yet to monitor or take seriously, RWE activities, resulting in minimal engagement in CVE programming (Perry & Scrivens, 2017). RWE is a prevalent, national security threat, that may climax into a large-scale attack (Ellis & Parent, 2016). This is possible due to a lack of right-wing terrorists being monitored, and an investigative response being hindered by an absence of domestic terrorism intelligence, due to RWE being a low priority threat (Ellis & Parent, 2016). This lack of intel, and slow response, could allow for a subsequent attack or series or attacks to occur (Ellis & Parent, 2016). What is Not Known How the increasing spread of populist ideals across America and Europe will impact RWE in Canada? How technological advancement, specifically an increased reliance on the internet and social media, and the anonymity, global communications, and community-building opportunities these platforms offer, will impact RWE group dynamics and presence in Canada? What is the transition point of a RWE actor, from participating in an online community, and engaging in radical dialogue and thinking, to evolving into taking violent action? Next Steps Invest in RWE investigation, intelligence, research, and multidisciplinary dialogue to analyze potential future of extremist groups. Examine RWE attacks against immigrants and make these communities empowered, and resilient (Ellis & Parent, 2016). Available Options Caitlin Manz Page 4 The Journal of Intelligence, Conflict and Warfare Canadian security agencies should reconsider and strengthen their public stances on RWE potential for violence, to better inform and prepare vulnerable communities. Alternative Perspectives to be Considered New counter-terrorist ideas, such as community resilience, and the civilianization of security may provide an alternative successful CVE strategy (Jacoby, 2016). A public-private government partnership, where the role of counter-terrorism is transferred to communities, may more efficiently discover radicalized individuals (Jacoby, 2016). RWE groups will remain fragmented, and therefore will primarily pose a threat to public order, not national security (Ellis & Parent, 2016). Right-wing terrorists will be subsumed into other activities (Ellis & Parent, 2016). Recommendations In countering RWE, preventative strategies opposed to reactive strategies are most effective (Perry & Scrivens, 2017). A consistent, evidence-based approach could counter RWE in Canada. This could focus on: diverting people from being radicalized; responding to and countering hate speech; ending violent behavior and movements; supporting and empowering victims; and raising awareness of RWE (Perry & Scrivens, 2017). Countering RWE involves collaborative action, and the engagement of law enforcement, educators, social service providers, as well as the media (Perry & Scrivens, 2017). Caitlin Manz Page 5 The Journal of Intelligence, Conflict and Warfare Reference List Ball, M. (2017, August 16). Vancouver far-right racist rally to proceed after resurfacing online. The Vancouver Metro. Retrieved from http://www.metronews.ca/news/vancouver/2017/08/16/vancouver- ultra-right-racist-rally-to-proceed.html Dangerfield, K. (2017, August 15). White nationalist groups on the rise in Canada, planning more rallies. Global News. Retrieved from: https://globalnews.ca/news/3670776/white-nationalist-groups-canada- on-the-rise/ Eagland, N. (2017, August 16). Vancouver anti-immigration rally organizers celebrate violence online. The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved from http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/anti-muslim-protest-in- vancouver Lamoureaux, M. (2017, June 14). The Birth of Canada's Armed, Anti-Islamic 'Patriot' Group. Vice. Retrieved from: https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/new9wd/the-birth-of-canadas- armed-anti-islamic-patriot-group Parent, D., O Ellis, J., & Canadian Electronic Library distributor. (2016). The Future of Right-Wing Terrorism in Canada / Dr. Richard B. Parent. (DesLibris. No. 16-12 Documents collection). Public Safety Canada. (2017). 2017 Public Report on the Terrorist Threat to Canada. Retrieved from https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/pblc-rprt-trrrst-thrt- cnd-2017/index-en.aspx Royal Canadian Mounted Police. (2016). Awareness guide - extremist groups. Retrieved from http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/qc/pub/sn-ns/ge-eg- eng.html Scrivens, R., & Perry, B. (2017). Resisting the Right: Countering Right-Wing Extremism in Canada. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 59(4), 534-558. Caitlin Manz Page 6 The Journal of Intelligence, Conflict and Warfare Perry, B., & Scrivens, R. (2016). Uneasy Alliances: A Look at the Right-Wing Extremist Movement in Canada. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 39(9), 819-841. Tami Amanda Jacoby. (2016). HOW THE WAR WAS ‘ONE’: COUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM AND THE SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF COUNTER-TERRORISM IN CANADA. Journal for Deradicalization, 272-304. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. © Caitlin, Manz 2018 Published by the Journal of Intelligence, Conflict and Warfare and Simon Fraser University Available from: https://jicw.org/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ https://jicw.org/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/