‘Make Canada Great Again’ merch considered ‘extremist’ by Canadian military

Participants in the study were asked if in the last two to five years they have "liked" extremist posts on social media or "provided strategic advice or training to an extremist group."

“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," wrote the Department of National Defence in a statement to True North.

The questionnaire also asked if they suspect other members of their unit or soldiers outside of their unit of belonging to extremist groups.

They were also asked if soldiers had ever “searched for and watched extremist music and/or videos,” “sported a tattoo or clothing with extremist symbols,” or physically attacked a member of a racial or religious minority.

Participants were also asked if they agreed with 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.”

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.