A questionnaire sent to soldiers by the Canadian Armed Forces asks if they have purchased “extremism merchandise” — offering “Make Canada Great Again” hats up as an example.
The questionnaire, which was leaked to True North, was designed to assist the military in its efforts to “detect and combat hateful conduct and radicalization” among the ranks.
Soldiers who participate in this study are being asked, for example, if in the last two to five years they have purchased “extremism merchandise” such as a “Make Canada Great Again hat”, “‘liked’ an extremist group post on social media” or “provided strategic advice or training to an extremist group.”
The Department of National Defence distanced itself from the survey in a written statement to True North writing, “The DND/CAF is not funding this research, nor has it contracted this research. This study is being conducted by independent researchers from Ontario Tech University’s Network for Research on Hateful Conduct and Right-Wing Extremism in the Canadian Armed Forces.”
The DND noted that the final report will be shared with the Canadian Armed Forces when ready and reiterated that “hateful conduct, be it through words or actions, is completely incompatible with the values and ethical principles of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.”
The questionnaire also asked soldiers if they suspect members of their current unit or soldiers outside of their unit belong to extremist groups.
Soldiers were then asked if they have ever “searched for and watched extremist music and/or videos,” “sported a tattoo or clothing with extremist symbols,” or verbally or physically attacked a member of a racial or religious minority.
The questionnaire also asked soldiers to what extent they agree with the following statements, such as: “Jews have too much control over certain institutions,” “Canada appears to be moving towards fascism,” and “non-white immigration trends are a threat to white people.”
The optional questionnaire is part of an independent study led by Ontario Tech University’s “anti-hate” researcher Barbara Perry and David Hoffman from the University of New Brunswick. According to the Department of National Defence, both researchers “seek to understand the breadth, depth, and extent of hateful conduct and right-wing extremism in the CAF.”
The study is titled, “Hateful Conduct and Right-Wing Extremism in the Canadian Armed Forces”, and while individual questionnaire results are anonymous, CAF members must sign a consent form agreeing to participate in the study, raising questions about the extent of the survey’s anonymity.
In April of 2024, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a $1 billion investment spread out over the next 20 years to advance “culture change and wellness” in the CAF.
Furthermore, Canada’s new chief of defence staff, Gen. Jennie Carignan, was tapped by Trudeau to lead the military’s culture change efforts in 2021 before her eventual promotion to Canada’s top soldier.
A freedom of information attempt by True North in 2022 to gain access to Perry’s alleged list of 300 “active far-right hate groups” in Canada which has been used by the government to craft anti-hate legislation was denied by the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario in September. To date, Perry has never publicly released her list.
This article was updated on December 5 to include comment from the Department of National Defence.
