Threats Within: Canada’s spy service boosts attention to ‘ideological’ domestic extremism
… “Ideologically” motivated violent extremism (IMVE) — the service’s catch-all term, which includes far-right and white supremacist-motivated violence — is “fast approaching parity with the threat from religiously-motivated violent extremism in terms of investigative resources deployed” in Canada, CSIS Director David Vigneault wrote in late 2021.
“The pandemic has been seized upon by extremists, who are exploiting the situation to spread disinformation, amplify anti-authority narratives, and promote acts of violence,” Vigneault wrote in a letter to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino in late 2021, adding IMVE “disproportionately targets equity-deserving groups in Canada.”
“CSIS is actively investigating IMVE threats, and when appropriate, mitigating these threats through the use of threat reduction measures.”
