Canada could designate Proud Boys a terror group as feds look to expand list

OTTAWA – Canada’s list of terrorist organizations could grow on Wednesday, with the Trudeau government preparing to make an announcement.

The federal government is hosting a technical briefing on ideologically motivated, violent extremism, which comes just before a news conference with Public Safety Minister Bill Blair.

It’s widely expected that Canada will add groups to its list of recognized terrorist organizations, and that may include the Proud Boys, a right-wing group that was wrapped up in the storming of the US Capitol. Many members have been arrested and charged.

In the wake of that attack, Blair said he was collecting evidence, adding a terror designation would give law enforcement more investigative tools and allow financial institutions to freeze their assets.

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However, Phil Gurski with Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting, who helped develop the terror list when he was a government intelligence analyst, has said this is largely a political move.

“When’s the last time a terrorist cared about the law? So if the Proud Boys see that they’re listed, do you think they care? Of course they don’t care. In fact, it might be a badge of honour for them,” he explained.

Stephanie Carvin, a former government security analyst who now teaches at Carleton University, notes the Proud Boys likely won’t be the only ones in the spotlight Wednesday.

“They are looking into groups like the Order of Nine Angles, like the Atomwaffen Division, like the Three Percenters, who are all associated with the far-right,” she said.

The House of Commons passed a unanimous motion last month calling on the government to designate the Proud Boys as a terror group.