Re: Racist...White Supremacy...Hate...Neo-Nazis...Proud Boys

by Looper Thu 28 Oct 2021, 4:14 pm

Ex-reservist, neo-Nazi member gets nine years in prison

Published Thursday, October 28, 2021

Racist...White Supremacy...Hate...Neo-Nazis...Proud Boys - Page 8 Image

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/ex-reservist-neo-nazi-member-gets-nine-years-in-prison-1.5642328

by Dolland Wed 03 Nov 2021, 8:16 am

Military police investigate dozens of complaints of racism in the Canadian Army

Cases concentrated in junior ranks; expert calls for fuller picture of issue across entire military

Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: Nov 03, 2021

Racist...White Supremacy...Hate...Neo-Nazis...Proud Boys - Page 8 Exercise-maple-resolve

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/army-hateful-conduct-racism-1.6234699

by Callvery Mon 08 Nov 2021, 1:35 pm

Canadian officials who met with Ukrainian unit linked to neo-Nazis feared exposure by news media: documents

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date:Nov 08, 2021

Defence Watch

by **Forcell** Mon 13 Dec 2021, 11:35 am

White supremacists in Canada’s military pose ‘active counter-intelligence threat’: watchdog

By Alex Boutilier . Global News
Posted December 13, 2021

Global News

by Stargunner Mon 21 Mar 2022, 4:03 pm

Basic training course at CFB Esquimalt shut down amid allegations of racism, harassment

Updated March 20, 2022
Published March 19, 2022

. A recruit sent a sexually explicit photo to a text chat group that had been established among some of the recruits. The person who sent the photo was removed from the course and has been recommended for release from the Canadian Armed Forces.

. Two recruits were involved in making "inappropriate sexualized comments" to an instructor. They have been removed from the course and will face a "Progress Review Board" to determine their future in the Forces.

. A "racist/hateful" message was found on a recruit’s personal equipment, leading to a Military Police investigation, which is still ongoing.

. Another "racist/hateful" message, this one including "implications of physical harm," was found on a recruit’s personal equipment. A Military Police investigation into this incident is also ongoing.

Each of these situations breached the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces Code of Ethics and Values, according to CFB Esquimalt.

"As a result, training has been terminated and Progress Review Boards are being convened for all recruit candidates," the statement reads. "Those candidates deemed suitable for retention will be returned to the Naval Training System at the earliest opportunity."

According to the base, a Progress Review Board is "an administrative means of gathering more information about individual recruits." It is explicitly not disciplinary in nature, but instead intended to give recruits the opportunity to meet one-on-one with "an impartial, experienced team of assessors" and develop individualized plans for the future.

A total of 51 candidates started the basic training course. There were 35 left in the group when the course was terminated on March 11. The other 16 left for reasons the base described as normal attrition.

Three of the remaining 35 recruits have been removed from the course as a result of the incidents. Those responsible for the racist behaviour "have not yet been positively identified," according to CFB Esquimalt.

The base said the remaining recruits have been moved into individual accommodations and are "under supervision." It said their health and safety is a priority.

"The incidents that occurred did not involve physical harm to any member of the group," the base said. "This does not reduce the seriousness of these incidents in any way, as harmful behaviour, especially racist behaviour has no place within our ranks."

"We recognize the lasting harm that incidents of misconduct such as these can cause, and ensuring the well-being of those affected is our primary concern."

The base's statement also described the incidents as "a rare occurrence" and said Navy leaders have been instructed to address allegations of harassment and inappropriate behaviour immediately.

"The Royal Canadian Navy has an obligation to ensure an ethical, respectful, professional environment for all of its members," the statement reads. "Operationally, our continued success depends on unwavering trust and cohesion among members of strong morals and integrity, regardless of circumstance, ethnicity, gender, background or persuasion."

CTV News

by Caliber Wed 13 Apr 2022, 9:17 am

Canada failed when it trained Ukrainian troops linked to the far right, says Nazi hunter

The Canadian Forces says it had no obligation to be entirely certain of the backgrounds of those soldiers it trained in Ukraine.

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Apr 13, 2022

A top Nazi hunter and Holocaust scholar says Canada failed when it allowed Ukrainian military personnel connected to far-right groups to receive training as recently as 17 months ago.

But the Canadian Forces says it had no obligation to be entirely certain of the backgrounds of those soldiers it trained in Ukraine.

Radio Canada reported Monday that Canadian military personnel trained both members of the far-right Azov regiment as well as at least one Ukrainian soldier who sported the crest of a Nazi SS unit from the Second World War. The training took place in November 2020.

Efraim Zuroff of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Israel said in an interview with this newspaper that Canada failed to properly monitor its own military training program. “The Canadian government didn’t do its due diligence,” he said. “It’s the responsibility of the Canadian defence ministry to know exactly who they are training.”

“There is no question that there are neo-Nazis in different forms in Ukraine, whether they are in the Azov regiment or other organizations,” he added.

Defence sources acknowledged the crest worn by the Ukrainian soldier in Canadian military photos is the insignia of Ukraine’s SS unit which fought for the Nazis. The other photos show Ukrainian troops with insignia linked to the Azov unit.

Canadian Forces Capt. Véronique Sabourin said all Canadian military members training Ukrainian troops were given information to help them recognize patches and insignia associated with right-wing extremism. Ukraine is responsible for vetting its own personnel, she added.

If Canadian soldiers suspect their Ukrainian counterparts or trainees hold racist views or belong to right-wing organizations, then the trainees are removed, Sabourin explained. But she added: “There is no burden of proof on the CAF to demonstrate this beyond a reasonable doubt.”

The Canadian military has denied training members of the Azov unit.

The Azov unit, sometimes known as a battalion or a regiment, has been formerly incorporated into the Ukrainian military. But its connections to the far-right have long been recognized. In 2017, Canada’s Joint Task Force Ukraine produced a briefing on the Azov Battalion, acknowledging its links to Nazi ideology. “Multiple members of Azov have described themselves as Nazis,” the Canadian officers warned in their briefing.

In 2018, the U.S. Congress banned the use of U.S. funds to provide arms, training and other assistance to the Azov Battalion because of its links to the far-right and neo-Nazis. The UN and Amnesty International have accused the unit of human rights violations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has justified his invasion of Ukraine by falsely claiming the country was led by Nazis. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish.

But the Russian invasion and the sympathy it has generated for Ukraine in western nations has served as a catalyst for a wider acceptance of Azov.

Some Jewish groups have watched with concern as journalists have lionized the unit or made excuses for its actions by pointing out there are only a few neo-Nazis in the organization. Japan’s Public Security Intelligence Agency reportedly removed Azov from its international terrorist list.

Still, the far-right sympathies of some Ukrainian military units have proved to be a problem. NATO recently used Twitter to highlight women in Ukraine’s military but had to pull the tweet after social media users pointed out women pictured were wearing Nazi-affiliated insignia.

Others have claimed allegations made against the Azov regiment are part of a Russian disinformation campaign.

Zuroff dismisses such claims. “It’s not Russian propaganda, far from it,” he explained. “These people are neo-Nazis. There is an element of the ultra-right in Ukraine and it’s absurd to ignore it.”

In June 2018, Canadian officials, including military personnel, met with leaders of the Azov unit. But despite knowing about the neo-Nazi links, the officials didn’t denounce the unit. Instead, they were concerned the news media would expose details of the get-together, according to National Defence documents. The Canadians allowed themselves to be photographed with unit members, which Azov then used for its propaganda purposes.

Defence Watch

by Rocko Mon 25 Apr 2022, 5:31 pm

Canadian military not doing enough to detect, prevent extremism in the ranks: report

Report took CAF to task for not doing enough to address racism over the past 20 years

Elizabeth Thompson · CBC News · Posted: Apr 25, 2022

Racist...White Supremacy...Hate...Neo-Nazis...Proud Boys - Page 8 Military-hate-20200719

CBC News

by Rocko Wed 01 Jun 2022, 5:22 pm

Canadian military veterans play outsized role in extremist anti-government movements: report

Ex-military status is so strong in anti-government movements that some adherents falsely claim to be veterans, the MEMRI report says

Adrian Humphreys
Publishing date:Jun 01, 2022

Canadian military veterans play an outsized role in anti-government movements, a shift exacerbated by pandemic restrictions, according to a report by an extremist monitoring organization that tracks online activity.

The influence of former military status within anti-government movements is so strong that some adherents falsely claim to be veterans to bolster their status as leaders, the report says.

The report by MEMRI, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit terrorism and extremism monitoring organization, highlights several recent examples of leadership, support and calls to action by Canadian veterans and purported veterans in anti-government groups, protests and forums.

“Veterans play a prominent role in extremist anti-government movements, frequently portraying themselves as a vanguard or security element for anti-government movements,” the report says.

The report highlights several organizations that seem heavily populated or influenced by veterans.

“Veteran-led antigovernment movements include the Diagolon, Veterans 4 Freedom, Three Percenter adherents, and the Veteran Brigades,” says the report released last week.

Some of their online efforts directly target recruitment of fellow veterans and serving military members, using military terminology and messages in their appeals.

One Canadian veteran, wearing a military cap with a regimental badge, said in an online video on Telegram: “The Prime Minister of Canada is lying to everyone, mayday mayday mayday, calling on all veterans, calling on all veterans, mayday mayday mayday.”

The report highlights Diagolon, an organization led by Jeremy MacKenzie, a Canadian military veteran who served in Afghanistan. MacKenzie is currently facing 13 gun-related charges after an RCMP search of his Nova Scotia home sparked by his alleged appearance in online videos with guns.

“Adherents of (Diagolon) are prominent in extreme antigovernment networks on social media, often posting content that promotes violence, civil war, and white supremacy,” the report said.

An associate of MacKenzie’s, Derek Harrison, in a video livestream during the Ottawa convoy occupation called for “our own January 6th event, see some of those truckers plow right through that 16-foot wall.”

Veterans were also prominent, online and in person, at rallies and protests by the Freedom Convoy to Ottawa and at the Windsor border crossing earlier this year.

At the Ottawa protest, a Canadian air force vet gave a speech calling on Canadians to risk their lives in their fight because “authoritarian tyranny is only defeated through sacrifice.”

Another veteran at the rally called on veterans to fight another war: “You need to stand up for your country once again, you’re not wearing your uniform at this point, but you’re a soldier no less… All of you know what it is like to stand up for freedom and democracy around the world, we’ve done it. And it’s your turn to do it here in your country.”

A second similar event in Ottawa, focused on bikers rather than truckers, was organized by veteran Neil Sheard. Sheard wears military medals on his vest that also features a veteran’s poppy. He said he served two tours in Afghanistan, where he was wounded.

Speeches at that event declared the Canadian government was waging a “war on freedom,” called the previous trucker protest “a glimmer of hope and a chance to heal” and said Canada’s government, police, and other officials “have been corrupted.”

A group called Veterans For Freedom (often branded as Veterans 4 Freedom or V4F) says its mission is to rally Canadian Armed Forces veterans across Canada for “lawful civic action in order to restore the fundamental rights and freedoms of Canadians.”

V4F has been linked to other movements, including Diagolon and the Freedom Convoy, the report says. V4F claimed in May that more than 1,000 membership applications came in from former Canadian Armed Forces members.

One V4F leaders is Eddie Cornell, who was also involved in the trucker protests; in a video on its website he said “we’re working with a sense of urgency because I think the window of time to restore those freedoms are short.”

Tom Marazzo, a founding member of V4F, rejected any contention the organization is linked to extremism or terrorism.

He said linking concerned veterans to extremism is an attempt to smear those who are opposed to restrictions, mask mandates, the use of the Emergency Measures Act and other issues.

“I think this colossal embarrassment of intelligence from the RCMP is a bigger story… Veterans also are involved in their communities with sports, charities, churches and many other things,” he told National Post.

The Three Percenter movement, an ideology that hooks in with U.S. anti-government militia groups, is listed as a designated terrorist organization in Canada. Support for it has ties to Canadian veterans and a presence in Canada, the report says.

One supporter has an online presence in which he says he’s a veteran trying to build a militia group in his native Alberta, the report says. The man said he was helping with the convoy blockade at the Coutts, Alta., border crossing.

The Veteran Brigades, started by a U.S. vet, has become a cross-border anti-government forum, according to the report.

“The forum consists of virulent antisemitic and white supremacist content and includes many neo-Nazi users. Dozens of self-proclaimed Canadian veterans are active on the forum in several Canada-specific groups,” the report says.

On May 25, Veteran Brigades hosted a video calling on “those who have taken an oath,” (usually a reference to current and retired soldiers and police officers) to “end corrupt Justin Trudeau’s regime” in a “revolution of the people,” according to MEMRI’s tracking.

Another forum member says he is a former soldier living in Saskatchewan who is forming a network that supports the U.S. patriot movement. He posted: “We will not bow down and we will win.”

Another promoted a recruitment video purporting to show “military and ex-police in training to take back Canada.”

The nexus between military veterans and the trucker convoy came partly through ideology but also demographics: veterans are overrepresented in the trucking industry, comprising up to 20 per cent of drivers, the report says.

Pandemic restrictions were an impetus for greater anti-government activity.

“The COVID-19 pandemic provided fodder for many anti-government extremist groups, some of which included disaffected veterans,” the report says.

“These groups perceived government policies to curb the spread of the virus as authoritarian measures to curb freedoms for which they had fought abroad. Veterans were among prominent members of anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown demonstrations throughout Canada, forming several groups such as the antigovernment Take Action Canada movement.”

Take Action Canada is not transparent on its leaders or origins but uses imagery similar to old fascist iconography, the report says, and “is intensely focused on veterans’ issues.”

The MEMRI report focused on veterans — those who are no longer members of the military — rather than active or reservist members, so it does not include activities of active-duty and reserve members of the military.

• Email: ahumphreys@postmedia.com | Twitter:

National Post

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