UNB Expert Helps Canadian Armed Forces Investigate Extremism In Its Ranks
A University of New Brunswick (UNB) professor is playing a leading role in the Canadian Armed Forces’ efforts to address far-right ideologies and extremism in the military, something that is an issue in the general population as well.
Dr. David Hofmann, in partnership with Ontario Tech University researcher Barbara Perry, has received $750,000 to study extremism over the next three years, and then they’ll make recommendations on a course of action. Dr. Hofmann says the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is sincere about combatting extremism within their own ranks and have enabled the researchers to get an accurate picture of the problem.
“I know for a fact they have taken steps,” says Dr. Hofmann, an Associate Professor of Sociology. “They’re funding not only my research but other independent scholars. We are independent, and our findings will be independent.”
The issue is top of mind these days because of the attack on the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, and pre-dating that event, the rise of Donald Trump in U.S. politics.
Studies have shown that in the U.S., harassment and violence towards vulnerable groups have increased over the past five years. Dr. Hofmann’s own work has shown an increase in right-wing, extremist activity in Canada too.
However, he says Trump was not the cause. Rather, his rise allowed people to freely express views that were once impermissible in civil society.
“It’s important not to get myopically fixated on Trump the individual; Trump is a symptom. He is an expression of something a lot larger,” says Dr. Hofmann.
Right-wing extremism on the rise in Canada
Dr. Hofmann’s ongoing work is a public service, not only to the military and its efforts to grapple with these issues for the betterment of the CAF but also for the public that might believe this is only a problem south of the border.
In his research to date, Dr. Hofmann has found that the number of CAF personnel with extremist views is on par with the rest of Canadian society.
He has been studying far-right groups across the country for years. In Atlantic Canada alone, his research has shown that there are 29 far-right extremist groups, comprised of 150 individuals, that have formed between 2000 and 2019. Of the 29 groups, 26 formed after 2016, the year Trump was elected president.
Dr. Hofmann says one of the more dangerous groups is the Three Percenters, a paramilitary group that was formed in the United States but is now has a Canadian presence.
“They’re here in every province in Canada,” he says. “They engage in survivalist training and their rhetoric is, ‘we need to be ready to fight for white people and Canadians and the Canadian way of life.’”
Atlantic Canada also still has a small Ku Klux Klan presence, says Dr. Hofmann, citing Klan activity as recent as 2017 when they circulated flyers in Fredericton.
Far-right groups in Canada non-violent so far
Overall, the far-right groups in the region have been nonviolent. Dr. Hofmann has documented 170 incidents of extremism in the 20-year period of study, with only a few leading to bodily harm. However, he says people shouldn’t be complacent because a violent attack like the one on January 6th in Washington has not occurred in Canada.
“I’m not saying we don’t have to worry about them,” he says. “I suspect this nonviolence is a function of the fact that these groups are relatively new and in the beginning stages of recruitment and consolidation of power and influence.”
Dr. Paul Mazerolle, UNB President and Vice-Chancellor, says Dr. Hofmann’s work is invaluable because he is focusing on a relatively unexplored but critical area of research.
“The last 20 years, if anything, have illustrated how vulnerable we are as a global community to the impact of violent extremism,” said Dr. Mazerolle. “Whether we’re talking about 9/11 or parts of the world where extremist attitudes can infiltrate local cities, this is an issue that requires important research to uncover the origins of extremist attitudes and how they can translate into real-life implications.”
“Dr. Hofmann has shown how this issue is relatively under-researched. It’s wide open for improving our understanding of how these attitudes emerge and what we need to do to mitigate or prevent it.”
UNB researches solutions to real-world problems
Dr. Mazerolle says this kind of work illustrates how academic research can be used to address issues of concern to everyday Canadians.
“We want UNB to be increasingly focused on addressing real societal challenges,” said Dr. Mazerolle. “The whole area of security, whether we are talking about cybersecurity, personal safety or food security, is particularly important because it’s an area that influences many things in society that impact our daily lives.”
In addition to the security research coming out of UNB, Dr. Mazerolle says UNB is uniquely positioned to provide innovation and expertise to help build healthy communities, ensure safe and sustainable water and develop energy systems for the future.
“UNB researchers are tackling these social and economic challenges head-on,” says Dr. Mazerolle, “and they are addressing areas that have a direct impact on the lives of New Brunswickers, Canadians and beyond.”
Learn more about UNB’s research impact: www.unb.ca/researchimpact
This story is sponsored by the University of New Brunswick.