An Alberta-based analyst asked by the military to study white supremacy in its ranks says if it doesn’t want the problem to take root, it should take action against a culture that gives it room to grow.
Political scientist Andy Knight says his research suggests current attitudes within the Armed Forces favour white, male and Christian cultures and put groups like women, people of colour, newcomers and the 2SLGBTQ+ community at a disadvantage.
“It’s a long-standing historical problem that has to do with the military’s mindset on who should be in the military and how they’re going to be treated once they’re in,” Knight said in an interview.
“This is kind of a wake-up call for the military … they ought to do something about this problem before it gets out of hand.”
Knight, with the University of Alberta, is to meet with defence and military officials in Ottawa to discuss his findings and recommendations.
The proposal came after a 2022 report by a panel of retired Forces members concluded that not enough was being done to stop white supremacists and other violent extremists from infiltrating the ranks.
He said the research became all the more intriguing after it was revealed that some military members were involved in the 2022 “Freedom Convoy” protests against COVID-19 rules that shut down much of downtown Ottawa for weeks.
A former Manitoba reservist Patrik Mathews was also sentenced in 2021 to nine years in the U.S. for his role in what the FBI called a violent plot to trigger a “race war.”
Knight’s study — based on interviews with current and former soldiers as well as academic research and media reports — highlights a growing presence of anti-Black, antisemitic and xenophobic sentiments.
It usually starts at recruitment, the report says, as the military focuses on recruiting from rural areas that may have limited diversity. It notes roughly 90 per cent of soldiers are white men, creating an environment where supremacist beliefs can flourish.
“Because white personnel continue to form a demographic majority, white recruits tend to find a sense of belonging and stay,” the report says.
It adds some recruits may already hold fringe views on topics like race, religion, immigration, gender and sexuality. Views are often spread through social media and through building camaraderie, sometimes out of sight from leaders.
“One individual was in a unit with some guys who said that they came into the military to learn how to utilize the military to kill brown and Black people,” Knight said.
The report also says disadvantaged groups that answer the call to serve may experience a power imbalance, leading some to fear that complaints of discrimination will be brushed aside.
Some soldiers described leaders as subtly turning a blind eye to supremacist ideologies.
One former soldier was deemed “not fit” for leadership roles for failing to conform to military culture that went against their religious beliefs.
Another was marked absent for praying during Ramadan despite permission from leaders.
The report also addresses gender imbalance, with one recruit recounting that they were forced to undress in front of an instructor while a colleague changed in the privacy of a tent.
“As a result, many qualified individuals leave or are deterred from joining the CAF despite their genuine desire to serve,” the report says. The Forces are facing a shortfall of nearly 10,000 personnel.
The study says the military is working to address discriminatory behaviours, but more needs to be done.
Defence Minister Bill Blair has said combatting bias and discrimination demands ongoing, relentless action and that racism in the Forces erodes the cohesion of an effective military.
Knight said the key is to reshape military culture to welcome those historically excluded.
Knight suggests robust recruitment screening to stop extremists from joining the ranks. He also recommends a zero tolerance for extremism and training for senior officers to recognize the signs of white supremacy, often encoded in symbols, slogans and imagery.
One former soldier who participated in the study said revamping military culture is crucial because it’s the only institution with a “licence to kill.”
“We have to keep it as clean as possible,” the soldier said.
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