Robson: Ottawa's neo-Nazi trial shows legal gaps around terrorism in the digital age
Article content
Convicted in April on three terrorism charges for creating visual content promoting the Atomwaffen Division — a group designated as a terrorist entity in Canada since 2021 — Macdonald and his actions are a wake-up call for Canadian lawmakers.
Article content
Article content
Article content
The Crown is seeking a 14-year sentence. While the severity of the charges is clear, the legislative implications remain largely unexplored. Macdonald didn't plant bombs or stockpile weapons. His weapon was digital design: posters, recruitment videos and stylized neo-Nazi visuals shared on encrypted platforms such as Telegram. And yet, these tools proved dangerously effective at spreading extremist ideologies and recruiting violent actors.
Article content
Canada's legal framework for counterterrorism has yet to catch up with this new terrain. Unlike the United States — where under 18 U.S. Code 2339B, 'material support' for terrorism explicitly includes 'services,' 'personnel' and 'expert advice or assistance' (even in the form of media production) — Canada's laws lack specificity in this domain.
Article content
The Macdonald case shows why that must change.
Article content
We need to expand the Canadian definition of 'material support for terrorism' to clearly encompass digital content creation, visual propaganda and recruitment media. In an era when extremist ideologies are packaged as sleek visuals and distributed through decentralized networks, it's no longer sufficient to target only those who commit physical acts of violence.
Article content
Article content
Visual radicalization is real, and it's accelerating. According to testimony during the hearing, Macdonald's work for Atomwaffen and the Sonnenkrieg Division — another designated terrorist group — was used in active recruitment efforts. His propaganda lives on, recirculated across forums and messaging apps beyond his control.
Article content
Policymakers must also consider the creation of a dedicated unit within CSIS and the RCMP to counter visual digital extremism. Such a unit would specialize in detecting, interpreting, and dismantling visual propaganda — treating videos and imagery not just as free expression, but as operational tools of radicalization and violence.
Article content
Patrick Macdonald's trial is more than a legal milestone; it's a policy test. And so far, we are failing it. The courts did their part. Now it's time for Parliament to do the same.
Article content
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
42 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Key things to know about how Elon Musk has boosted hard-right figures in Europe
ROME (AP) — Elon Musk may have tumbled from political grace in Washington, D.C., but as he seeks to build a new political party, his power on X — where he commands the most popular account — remains unchecked. Musk is a kingmaker on the platform he acquired in 2022 for $44 billion. He has used his influence to cultivate hard-right politicians and insurgent activists across Europe. A retweet or reply from Musk can lead to millions of views and tens of thousands of new followers, according to an Associated Press analysis of public data. That fact has not been lost on influencers who have tagged Musk persistently, seeking a reply or a retweet. It has also fueled concerns in Europe about foreign meddling — not from Russia or China, but from the United States. 'Every alarm bell needs to ring,' Christel Schaldemose, a vice president of the European Parliament who works on electoral interference and digital regulation, told AP. The Associated Press analyzed more than 20,000 posts, which were compiled by Bright Data, over a three-year period from a sample of 11 European figures who had significant interactions with Musk and frequently promote a hard-right political or social agenda. These case studies are not meant to be representative of a broad universe; rather they showcase the ways in which Musk's engagement can have an impact on local influencers that share his views. Musk has sweeping power to direct attention on X Since acquiring Twitter in October 2022, Elon Musk's followers have more than doubled, to over 220 million. No other large account has shown such high or consistent growth. The result: If Musk's X account is his megaphone, it has gotten a lot bigger since he took over — a change that has global implications. The accounts Musk has been promoting are part of a growing global alliance of nationalistic parties and individuals united in common cause to halt migration, overturn progressive policies and promote an absolutist vision of free speech, which has rattled the foundation of a trans-Atlantic bond that guided U.S. and European relations for over eight decades. Several of the accounts AP analyzed belong to people who have faced allegations of illegal behavior in their own countries. Tommy Robinson, an anti-immigrant agitator in the U.K., was sentenced in October to 18 months in prison for violating a court order blocking him from making libelous allegations against a Syrian refugee. Bjoern Hoecke, a politician from Germany's Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) party, was convicted last year of knowingly using a Nazi slogan in a speech. Italian vice premier Matteo Salvini was acquitted in December of allegations he illegally detained 100 migrants aboard a humanitarian rescue ship Among the others examined by AP: Alice Weidel, who helped lead Germany's Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) party to its best electoral showing this year; Eva Vlaardingerbroek, a Dutch influencer known as the 'shieldmaiden of the far-right'; Naomi Seibt, a German activist dubbed the 'anti-Greta Thunberg' now living in what amounts to political exile in Washington DC; Rubén Pulido and Foro Madrid, both associated with Spain's populist Vox party; and Fidias Panayioutou, a politician from Cyprus who has also advocated for Musk's companies. These accounts collectively gained roughly 5 million followers from the time Musk took over Twitter in October 2022 through January of this year. Most saw triple-digit percentage increases in their followers — as high as 920%, or in one case of a tiny account exploding over that time, topping 6,000%. Even some accounts that grew more steadily on their own saw their follower counts sharply begin rising once Musk started interacting with them. Similarly, on days Musk interacted with a post, the number of views the account got soared — in most cases, accruing two to four times as many views, with a few seeing boosts 30 or 40 times their normal daily viewership. More established players in Musk's orbit — like Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose ruling Brothers of Italy party has neo-fascist roots — benefit less when Musk interacts with them on X, AP found. Attention seekers know that getting Musk to engage can be transformative Musk's dominance creates a strong incentive for people to get Musk to engage with their content. Naomi Seibt, a German climate skeptic, pinged Musk nearly 600 times over the past three years. Musk finally engaged in June 2024, when he asked her to explain why the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is so controversial in Germany. Since then, Musk has replied to, quoted or tagged Seibt more than 50 times, and her followers have grown by more than 320,000 since Musk took over the platform. On days Musk interacted with Seibt, her posts, on average, got 2.6 times as many views. 'I didn't intentionally 'invade' Elon's algorithm,' Seibt told AP. 'Obviously Elon has a lot of influence and can help share a message even with those who are usually glued to the legacy media, particularly in Germany.' Musk's online influence has real-world political and financial impact Alice Weidel, who helps lead the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, saw her daily audience surge from 230,000 to 2.2 million on days Musk interacted with her posts on X. After Musk hosted a livestream with Weidel on X, vice president JD Vance broke protocol and met her in Munich. Weidel's party, which is fighting a lawsuit to block the German government's decision to designate it as an extremist group, went on to secure its best electoral showing ever. Musk has also used X to advocate for the leader of Italy's hard-right League party, Matteo Salvini. On days Musk interacted with Salvini's account, average views were more than four times higher than usual. Now serving as vice premier, Salvini has urged his government to move ahead with controversial contracts for Starlink and pushed back against European efforts to regulate content on X. And Musk has a friend in Brussels: Fidias Panayiotou — a 25-year-old social media influencer from Cyprus. Before winning a surprise seat in the European Parliament last year, the Cypriot spent weeks on a quest to get Elon Musk to hug him. In January 2023, his wish came true. Their embrace went viral. Since taking office, Panayiotou has praised X on the floor of the European Parliament, pushed back against regulations that impact the platform, and credited Musk with sparking his call to fire 80% of EU bureaucrats. Musk, evidently, was pleased. 'Vote for Fidias,' he wrote on X. 'He is smart, super high energy and genuinely cares about you!' Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. The endorsement has been viewed 11.5 million times. —- Kessler reported from Washington —- Contact AP's global investigative team at Investigative@ or
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
China's fiery baijiu spirit evolves to attract younger drinkers
BEIJING (AP) — The centuries-old fiery Chinese spirit baijiu, long associated with business dinners, is being reshaped to appeal to younger generations as its makers adapt to changing times. Mostly distilled from sorghum, the clear but pungent liquor contains as much as 60% alcohol. It's the usual choice for toasts of 'gan bei,' the Chinese expression for bottoms up, and raucous drinking games. 'If you like to drink spirits and you've never had baijiu, it's kind of like eating noodles but you've never had spaghetti,' said Jim Boyce, a Canadian writer and wine expert who founded World Baijiu Day a decade ago. The annual event aims to promote the traditional liquor, which is far less known internationally than whiskey or vodka. Moutai, a kind of baijiu made in mountainous Guizhou province in southwestern China, is known as the country's 'national liquor.' Perhaps its biggest endorsement came in 1974, when U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger banqueted with Deng Xiaoping, who would later become China's top leader. 'I think if we drink enough Moutai, we can solve anything,' Kissinger said. 'Then, when I return to China, we must take steps to increase our production of it,' Deng replied, according to an archived document from the U.S. State Department's Office of the Historian. Price fluctuations of Feitian Moutai, the liquor's most famous brand, serve as a barometer for China's baijiu market. This year, its price has dropped by 36% after four consecutive years of decline, according a report by the China Alcoholic Drinks Association. The report forecast China's baijiu production will likely fall for the eighth straight year in 2025. Baijiu consumption has dropped as people spend more cautiously, cutting back on banquets and drinking due to a weaker economy. Perennial anti-corruption campaigns by the ruling Communist Party targeting lavish official dinners have taken a harsh toll. In May, the party issued new rules banning cigarettes and alcohol during work meals. China's drinking culture is evolving, with younger people keen to protect their health and less inclined to overindulge or be bound by rigid social conventions. Faced with far more choices, they might instead opt for whiskey, wine or non-alcoholic alternatives. 'There is an old saying in China: 'No banquet is complete without alcohol.' It means in the past, without alcohol there is no social lubricant,' 30-year-old Chi Bo said while having cocktails with friends in Beijing's chic Sanlitun area. 'People no longer want to drink alcohol or tend to drink less but they can still sit together and even discuss serious affairs,' Chi said. 'Most of the people don't want to drink alcohol unless they have to.' Baijiu makers are responding with creative innovations like baijiu-flavored ice cream. Kweichou Moutai partnered with China's Luckin' Coffee last year to introduce a Moutai-flavored latte that reportedly sells 5 million cups a day across China. Bartenders also are designing cocktails using a baijiu base. 'There are so many choices right now,' Boyce said. 'It's just about fighting for attention in terms of choice.' Jiangxiaobai, a newer brand made in southwestern China's Chongqing, has targeted young consumers from the beginning. It offers fruit-infused baijiu with an alcohol content below 10%, packaged in smaller, more affordable bottles adorned with philosophical or sentimental phrases meant to resonate with Chinese youth such as, 'Unspoken words. In my eyes, in drafts, in dreams, or downed in a drink.' 'Our promotion of products combines the culture and lifestyle young people advocate,' Jiangxiaobai marketing director Fan Li said. 'From our products to our branding, it's a process of embracing the younger generation.' Shirley Huang, out with friends on a Friday night in Sanlitun, said she had never touched baijiu at age 27, preferring cocktails. But that night, something new on the menu caught her attention: a baijiu-based cocktail. 'Baijiu is quietly making its way into our lives. We just haven't noticed,' she said 'It may not appear as itself, but it reemerges in new forms.' ___ Associated Press video producers Olivia Zhang and Wayne Zhang in Beijing contributed to this report.
Montreal Gazette
3 hours ago
- Montreal Gazette
Trump signs executive order pushing tariffs on Canada to 35%
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order pushing tariffs on Canada to 35 per cent beginning on Friday, following through on a threat to raise duties if Ottawa didn't make a trade deal. The White House confirmed the tariffs would not hit goods compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, commonly known as CUSMA. A fact sheet from the White House said Canada 'failed to cooperate in curbing the ongoing flood of fentanyl' and also pointed to Ottawa's implementation of retaliatory tariffs. Canadian officials had been tempering expectations that a trade deal would materialize ahead of Trump's deadline and Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he'll only make an agreement that is good for Canada. Trump said earlier Thursday he had not 'spoken to Canada' but did reference that 'he's called' — suggesting Carney may have reached out hours before the 35 per cent tariff was set to hit. The Canadian Press has contacted Carney's office for confirmation but has not yet received a response. Ontario Premier Doug Ford posted on social media that 'Canada shouldn't settle for anything less than the right deal.' He repeated his call for the federal government to respond with a 50 per cent tariff on U.S. steel and aluminum. 'Now is not the time to roll over. We need to stand our ground,' Ford said. Trump dampened the prospect of a deal with Canada in a post on social media early Thursday morning that said it would be very hard to make a deal after Carney announced Wednesday that Ottawa intends to recognize a Palestinian state. Trump told reporters at the White House that he 'didn't like that' but that it was 'not a deal-breaker.' When asked about the holdup in Canadian negotiations, Trump said 'they have to pay a fair rate.' The president also misrepresented agricultural duties, complained about Canadian military spending and said Canada has been treating the United States badly for years. While Trump didn't mention fentanyl, the White House fact sheet focused on the drug to justify increasing the tariffs. 'Given Canada's continued failure to arrest traffickers, seize illicit drugs, or coordinate with U.S. law enforcement and Canada's retaliation against the United States for the President's actions to address the unusual and extraordinary threat to America, further presidential action is necessary and appropriate to protect American lives and the national security and foreign policy of the United States,' the White House said. U.S. government data shows a miniscule amount of fentanyl is seized at the border with Canada compared to Mexico. Ottawa responded to Trump's concerns of cross-border trafficking with a $1.3 billion boosted border plan. Ottawa appointed a 'fentanyl czar' and announced a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl trafficking and money laundering, and deployed additional helicopters and drones along the border. Trump announced a 90-day extension on trade talks for Mexico Thursday after a phone conversation with President Claudia Sheinbaum. He said it was because the 'complexities of a Deal with Mexico are somewhat different than other Nations because of both the problems, and assets, of the Border.' 'Additionally, Mexico has agreed to immediately terminate its Non Tariff Trade Barriers, of which there were many,' Trump said. In a separate executive order Thursday Trump increased his so-called 'Liberation Day' tariffs on many other nations, with those duties to be implemented in seven days. The order applied to 68 countries, as well as the 27-member European Union, which negotiated its new tariff rate in a deal announced earlier in the week. Countries that were not listed would face a baseline 10 per cent tariff. While Trump continued to claim in posts on social media that tariffs are making 'America GREAT & RICH Again,' the president's main tool for realigning global trade faced some sharp questions from federal appellate judges in court earlier Thursday. The Trump administration's lawyer argued in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that there are still checks and balances on the president's powers and he has the authority to use a national security statute to impose duties — despite the fact that the word 'tariff' is found nowhere in the International Economic Emergency Powers Act of 1977. The act, usually referred to by the acronym IEEPA, gives the U.S. president authority to control economic transactions after declaring an emergency. No previous president had ever used it for tariffs and the U.S. Constitution reserves power over taxes and tariffs for Congress. Members of the 11-judge panel on Thursday repeatedly questioned the Trump's administration's justifications for using IEEPA to implement the so-called 'Liberation Day' and fentanyl-related tariffs 'If the president says there's a problem with our military readiness and he puts a 20 per cent tax on coffee, that doesn't seem to necessarily deal with (it)' said Chief Circuit Judge Kimberly Moore. No decision was issued from the bench Thursday and a White House spokesperson has said the case is expected to go before the Supreme Court.
