Hamilton’s mayor has reached out to local businesses, urging them to stay vigilant regarding an anti-immigration group that is promoting a conference in the area. Andrea Horwath emphasized the importance of venues having a clear understanding of the organization and event purpose before deciding to host them. She highlighted the city’s diversity and expressed pride in inclusive values such as respect and belonging for all residents of Hamilton.
Several Hamilton groups, including the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre and Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, joined forces to issue an open letter on August 4. The letter called on businesses and institutions to refrain from renting space to the Dominion Society, urging elected officials to denounce the group’s ideologies and commit to policies that do not contribute to the targeting of immigrants and racialized communities.
In an effort to prevent inadvertent support for hate-promoting groups, HARRC published a guide with tips for venues. The guide aims to help businesses avoid renting space to organizations that propagate hate speech. Recent incidents, such as extremist groups like Diagolon and Second Sons securing spaces at community halls and gyms in Hamilton without the owners’ full awareness, underscore the importance of being vigilant.
The Dominion Society of Canada, labeled as a self-proclaimed nationalist group, promotes conspiracy theories like the great replacement theory, which asserts that white populations are being replaced by racialized groups. Additionally, the group advocates for the mass deportation of individuals, including temporary foreign workers, permanent residents, and even Canadian-born citizens to non-Canadian territories.
Barbara Perry, the director of the Centre on Hate, Bias, and Extremism at Ontario Tech University, criticized the Dominion Society’s arguments as inherently racist and xenophobic. The Canadian Anti-Hate Network has identified the group as part of a growing white-nationalist movement in Canada.
Despite Dominion Society’s claims of being an advocacy group focused on immigration reform rather than a hate group, concerns persist. Mayor Horwath emphasized the need for venues to be aware of the group’s agenda when considering any bookings related to them.
Hamilton police are actively developing a response plan to address any potential risks or criminal activities associated with the upcoming DomCon 2026 event. They acknowledge the community’s concerns and pledge to maintain a visible presence to ensure safety and enforce the law. Residents are encouraged to report any threats, harassment, or hate-motivated behavior they encounter.
In light of the situation, HARRC provides a community-led tool for reporting hate incidents, emphasizing the importance of collective efforts to combat hate and extremism in Hamilton.