Canadian Anti-Hate Network
| Formation | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Website | https://www.antihate.ca/ |
The Canadian Anti-Hate Network (CAHN) is a Canadian nonprofit organization that monitors hate groups, far-right groups, and hate crimes in Canada.[1][2][3][4] It was formed in 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, by more than fifteen journalists, community leaders, academics, and legal experts,[2] and receives funding from the Government of Canada.[5] CAHN provides information to journalists and the media, researchers, law enforcement, policy makers, and community organizations.[1][2] The organization is modelled after and supported by the American Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).[1][2]
In its first public statement in 2018, CAHN called for criminal charges to be brought against Montreal IT consultant and Neo-Nazi Gabriel Sohier Chaput, who goes by the pseudonym Charles Zeiger.[2]
On November 1, 2020, Chris Vanderweide, known as 'Helmet Guy' for participating in violence at Hamilton Pride 2019, was arrested by the York Regional Police (YRP) and charged with uttering threats against CAHN chair Bernie Farber and CAHN executive director Evan Balgord in a private Facebook group.[6][7] Before contacting the YRP, CAHN had contacted the Hamilton Police Service (HPS) about the threats, but HPS declined to investigate the threats due to their wording.[6][7] Afterwards, Farber called for an internal investigation into the HPS and for Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger to look into why the threats were not further investigated.[7] In response, Constable Jerome Stewart said that "The matter is before the court system in York Region and as such Hamilton Police will not provide any further comments at this time".[7]
In the aftermath of the 2021 United States Capitol Attack, a team from CAHN was attempting to identify three people seen at the riot, one of whom was holding a Canadian flag.[3]
On April 15, 2021, CAHN filed a complaint with the Law Society of Ontario against criminal lawyer Colin A. Browne for reciting the oath of the far-right Proud Boys organization in a video posted on Telegram.[8]
In a September 9, 2021 CTV News interview, CAHN deputy director Elizabeth Simons described people "at the heart of" COVID-19 protests in Canada, including "anti-lockdown, anti-mask and anti-vaccine protests", as part of a "far-right", "anti-democratic", and "pro-insurrectionist" movement who hold extreme views on a number of issues.[9]
References
- ^ a b c "Members of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security" (PDF). Parliament of Canada. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-08-26. Retrieved 2021-08-07.
- ^ a b c d e Draaisma, Muriel (2018-05-08). "New anti-hate group aims to monitor 'growing threat' of far-right extremists in Canada". CBC News. Retrieved 2021-08-07.
- ^ a b Pierce, Matthew (2021-01-12). "Canadian internet sleuths, anti-hate group helping to identify Capitol rioters". CBC News. Retrieved 2021-08-07.
- ^ Kestler-D'Amours, Jillian (2021-09-08). "'What next?': Experts in Canada alarmed by anti-Trudeau protests". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
- ^ "Building a More Inclusive Canada: Government of Canada Announces Funding for Anti-Racism Projects Across the Country". Government of Canada. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Canadian Anti-Hate Network says 'helmet guy' Chris Vanderweide threatened its leaders". CBC News. 2020-11-04. Retrieved 2021-08-07.
- ^ a b c d Polewski, Lisa (2020-11-03). "'Helmet guy' charged with uttering threats against Canadian Anti-Hate Network executives". Global News. Archived from the original on 2020-11-03. Retrieved 2021-08-07.
- ^ Bell, Stewart (2021-04-16). "Anti-hate group says it filed complaint against Ontario lawyer seen in video reciting Proud Boys oath". Global News. Archived from the original on 2021-04-16. Retrieved 2021-08-07.
- ^ Bogart, Nicole (September 9, 2021). "Known white nationalists, far-right groups among election protest organizers, expert says". CTV News. Retrieved February 7, 2022.