Aaron Driver, seen after a Feb. 2, 2016, court appearance in Winnipeg, had been flagged as a ISIS sympathizer and was suspected of planning an attack. He was killed in a standoff with police in Strathroy, Ont., in August 2016.

Aaron Driver, seen after a Feb. 2, 2016, court appearance in Winnipeg, had been flagged as a ISIS sympathizer and was suspected of planning an attack. He was killed in a standoff with police in Strathroy, Ont., in August 2016.
Photo Credit: PC / JOHN WOODS

Federal government launches counter-radicalization centre

The federal government has launched a new centre designed to prevent violent political or religious radicalization of young Canadians “before tragedy strikes.”

The Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence will provide national leadership, coordination and support to community groups, frontline practitioners in their efforts to prevent individuals from radicalizing to violence, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said on Monday.

“To retain our national character as an open, diverse, inclusive and generous society – and one that is also safe and secure – we need to become among the best in the world at understanding and dealing effectively with all types of radicalization that lead to violence,” said Goodale. “The new Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence will help us do as much as humanly possible to prevent radicalization to violence before tragedy strikes.”

Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, make a national security-related announcement at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 20, 2017.
Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, make a national security-related announcement at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. © PC/Sean Kilpatrick

Officials are launching a call for proposals beginning July 6, and an initial 10 projects have already received money.

In the coming months, a special adviser will be appointed to meet with young people, community leaders and experts across Canada to identify priorities and shape a national strategy on countering radicalization to violence.

The Liberal government provided $35 million over five years and $10 million annually thereafter to combat radicalization to violence in Canada in its Budget 2016.

The July 6, 2017 call for proposals for the Community Resilience Fund (CRF) will have $1.4 million available to fund projects in 2018-19.

The government also plans to invest $7 million each year for existing and new projects for 2019-20 and beyond.

Jeremy Littlewood, a terrorism expert at Ottawa’s Carleton University, told CBC News that it’s too early to tell if Canada’s approach will work to combat domestic terrorism. However, Littlewood said it is wise not to target only one group of extremists.

“Making it one type of terrorism specific, for example, al-Qaeda or ISIS-inspired terrorism, is a recipe for creating fear, suspicion and perpetuating the notion of suspect communities within a population,” he told CBC’s Kathleen Harris.

With files from CBC News and The Canadian Press

Categories: Politics, Society
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