Singh says government must move to counter hate groups, which have tripled since 2015

OTTAWA -- NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says the Liberal government must do more to tackle the growing threat of hate groups.

The past five years have seen a proliferation of neo-Nazi groups and alt-right content online, with experts saying the number of hate groups in Canada has tripled to 300 since 2015.

Singh says fatal attacks, including at a Toronto mosque in September and the Quebec City mosque shooting in 2017, make demands for a federal response all the more urgent.

At a virtual meeting with advocates today, Singh endorsed an action plan by the National Council of Canadian Muslims calling for federal legislation that would allow authorities to shut down white supremacist organizations that do not meet the threshold for a militia or terrorist entity.

Bernie Farber, chair of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, says national law enforcement agencies need to establish dedicated anti-hate crime divisions.

The national Muslim council says it met virtually with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Public Safety Minister Bill Blair on Monday to discuss possible steps.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 10, 2020.