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Canadian Military Sees Alarming Resurgence in Hateful Conduct
8 Aug
Summary
- Hateful conduct reports in Canadian military nearly doubled in 2024
- Experts link rise to Trump's re-election and empowerment of anti-democratic rhetoric
- Army commander dismayed by soldiers' failure to call out racist behavior
According to data obtained by CBC News, the Canadian military has experienced a significant rise in hateful conduct and racism reports over the past year, following several years of decline. The sudden turnaround has piqued the curiosity of far-right extremism experts, who believe the events in the United States, particularly the re-election of Donald Trump as president in 2024, may be a contributing factor.
The commander of the Canadian Army, Lt.-Gen. Mike Wright, has expressed his dismay at the impact this is having on the reputation of the military. The data shows that in 2024, there were 54 incidents reported to the Hateful Conduct Incident Tracking System (HCITS), nearly double the number logged in 2023. The HCITS was created several years ago to address a series of extremism-related cases and public embarrassments.
Experts, such as Andy Knight from the University of Alberta, suggest that Trump's ascendance has brought a "significant feeling of empowerment" to those pushing anti-democratic rhetoric, particularly against Black and brown individuals. This social and political climate south of the border may be one explanation for the troubling resurgence in the Canadian military.
Additionally, the military's efforts to root out hateful activity and sexual misconduct through new, stringent policies have faced pushback, with some soldiers seeing these changes as "intrusive" or "treading on their rights and freedoms." This, in turn, has drawn some individuals into extremist narratives.
Despite the crackdown initiated by the former army commander, now-retired general Wayne Eyre, nearly five years ago, the recent increase in hateful conduct incidents is a cause for concern. Lt.-Gen. Wright is particularly troubled by the lack of moral courage among soldiers to step forward and call out inappropriate behavior when they witness it.
The article also highlights a recent terrorism case in Quebec, where two serving soldiers, a former member, and a civilian were accused of plotting an extremist, anti-government scheme. This incident has further underscored the need for the military to be more proactive in identifying and addressing extremism within its ranks.
