The Canadian military has created a new policy on hateful conduct to help identify and weed out members with links to white supremacist organizations or other hate groups. For the first time, the Canadian Armed Forces also has a formal definition for hateful conduct.
The Canadian military has created a new policy on hateful conduct to help identify and weed out members with links to white supremacist or other hate groups.
“This is a foundational conduct specific DAOD (Defence Administrative Order and Directive) that will enable future action to address the systemic racism and discrimination that have permeated our ranks,” Gen. Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff, wrote in an administrative order sent to all staff on July 10.
“There is no place in the CAF for discrimination, racism or hateful conduct.”
The policy changes, which come as the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) grapples with a recent, high-profile example of extremism in its ranks, have been acknowledged by some as a good first step, but questions remain about screening processes and enforcement, and at least one military law expert says the policy misses the mark because it seems to minimize the seriousness of hateful conduct.
As part of the policy, for the first time, the CAF has a formal definition for hateful conduct: “an act or conduct, including the display or communication of words, symbols or images, by a CAF member, that they knew or ought reasonably to have known would constitute, encourage, justify or promote violence or hatred against a person or persons of an identifiable group, based on their national or ethnic origin, race, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics or disability.”
The CAF is implementing a new system to help monitor and track any suspected incidents of hateful conduct within its ranks, calling on a network of researchers to help military investigators. There will be an emphasis on education and training.
Any members found to have violated the hateful conduct policy could face disciplinary action that ranges from additional training courses to having their cases investigated by military police.
“It is unacceptable for a Canadian Armed Forces member to participate in an activity or have membership in a group or organization that is connected with hate related criminal activities, and/or promotes hatred, violence, discrimination,” Vice-Admiral Haydn Edmundson, Commander Military Personnel said in a statement Thursday.
‘Important first step’
Tony McAleer, a former skinhead and organizer for the White Aryan Resistance, said the new policy is a good start, but he is disappointed it doesn’t include more stringent screening processes for recruits and reservists.
McAleer knows what he’s talking about. In the 1990s, he joined an airborne infantry reserve unit to obtain weapons training and encouraged other white supremacists to do the