Hiding Hate Speech: Canada's White Nationalism Online

• In Event: Radicalization and Violent Extremism

Abstract

Hate speech has been criminalized in Canada since 1970 under sections 318-320.1 of the Criminal Code. Focusing on Canadian white nationalist movements, I posit that there is no evidence that censorship has addressed the problem of hatred and organized racism in Canada, but rather, these laws have only hidden the issue. Because of hate propaganda laws, we do not know how many hate groups exist in Canada, the extent of their membership, their ideologies and recruitment methods, nor are we able to identify the variables which may produce racist extremists. Yet what is clear is that Canadians have a notable presence among the white nationalist online community. By looking at Canadian white supremacist websites and forums, I show how censorship laws have lead to the sanitization of white nationalist discourse, whereby these movements appeal to liberal identity politics and political correctness to make their messages more approachable for a wider audience. Organized hate needs to be made explicit so it can be understood and well-researched – something which is impossible without unconstrained freedom of speech. In closing, this paper suggests that legal recourse through criminalization or punishment should not be the primary means of examining and confronting organized hate in Canada.

Author

• Justin E.C. Tetrault, University of Alberta