The 32,000 follower page flew under the radar on Facebook for years among an ocean of hateful content. It was a home and a launch pad for easily shareable and obviously racist material.
Canadian Anti-Hate Network
A long-standing anti-immigration and overtly racist series of social media channels successfully cultivated a following of over 32,000 Facebook users through unabashedly anti-Muslim, anti-2SLGBTQ+, conspiratorial ready-to-share content. The “Old Stock Canadian” page has finally been removed, seemingly as a result of our sending a media request to Facebook for this story.
Started in 2016, the moderators of Old Stock Canadian never had much success outside the social giant, though the Facebook Page proved itself a resilient source of hate content that outlasted many of its ilk.
“Friends, it seems the TRUTH was too much to bear so Liberal FARCEbook took us off their platform,” wrote an admin on a little visited website associated with the page. “Well over 36,000 members will now be looking for a new home. Hopefully, they will find it here on this website.
“In the meantime, we will retool and look to other platforms as well where our conservative voice will be heard again.”
On Twitter and Instagram, as well as their website, they have a minimal following. Many of their website posts have just a single view, according to the site’s own counters.
“We removed the Old Stock Canadians Page for violating our Community Standards. We will continue to monitor and take action in line with our policies and strongly encourage people to use all available reporting and blocking tools,“ a representative from Facebook told the Canadian Anti-Hate Network.
“Old Stock Canadians” is a phrase that has been popular among white supremacists and Canadian nationalists since Prime Minister Steven Harper used it during a leadership debate in 2015.
"We do not offer them [refugees] a better health care plan than the ordinary Canadian receives, said Harper. "I think that's something that new and existing and old stock Canadians agree with."
The statement caused a minor stir at the time, as many begged the question, what is an old stock Canadian? Harper would later clarify he meant Canadians whose families had been in Canada for more than one generation. The Conservatives tried to move on from the gaffe and their opponents decried it as a dog-whistle.
Much like “White Boy Summer” has become the white power dog whistle of 2021, the phrase “old stock Canadian” quickly was adopted as a self-signifier in far-right Canadian circles, and continues to be used. It, for example, was often used in the propaganda of groups like ID Canada.
ID Canada founders Tyler Hover (left) and Jonathan McCormack (right) during group events.
In June, 2021, Ontario MPP Randy Hillier tweeted a quote falsely attributed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claiming that all “old stock white Canadians” will be “replaced.” An investigation by PressProgress found that the meme had been posted on the Old Stock Canadian Facebook page in 2018, with the page commenting: “we believe the quote is inaccurate.”
Source: Twitter
The now-removed Facebook page and still active Twitter account for Old Stock Canadian trade in a variety of similarly styled memes. Typically yellow block letters and carrying messages that target everyone from members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, conspiracy theories around COVID-19, anti-Muslim sentiment, and more.
“Liberals universities like Dalhousie are no longer institutes of learning but rather, create racially motivated radicalism,” reads a caption added to a picture promoting diversity at a Halifax university. “Case in point, if we tried to dismantle non-white privilege, matriarchy and homosexism, what do you think would happen? Besides the massive demonstrations that would befall us.”
Some of the content is political in nature, targeting left and centre-left politicians, but the most animus is reserved for Muslims and immigrants.
“Islamophobia is a liberal narrative intended to deflect from the real concern of radical Islamic fundamentalists intent in destroying us infidels,” a pinned post under the section “Islamophobia” reads on the page’s counterpart website. “A movement that has gained momentum in recent decades within several Muslim nations. Islamic fundamentalists oppose the infiltration of secular and westernizing influences and seek to institute Islamic law, including strict codes of behaviour. In other words, sharia law which oppresses women to become the slaves of this male-dominated cult.”
Other sections target 2SLGBTQ+ people, with post titles like “Young Girls Are Transgendering At Alarming Rates,” “Gender Dysphoria Has Gone Mad,” and, simply, “Cancel Pride.”
Members of the now-defunct Facebook page included people like William “Damien Maje” Majeau who was previously the subject of reports for filming people, including children, coming to and from an Alberta mosque during the early stages of the pandemic. He returned earlier this year to take more photographs.
Members of the Northern Guard, an east coast centred biker-style hate group are also followers. This includes founder Nick Gallant and member Ed Jamnisek, who produces Kevin Johnston’s live stream show. Gallant has generally tried to extricate Northern Guard from accusations of hate and racism. Early in the group’s founding, however, he appeared on a podcast in 2018 and stated he would be “pushing that white nationalism,” according to the ARC Collective.
Updated to include comment from Facebook.
One Canadian man awaiting trial for terrorism charges related to the Atomwaffen Division is also alleged to be one of the pseudonymous authors of the collective’s manifestos.
How venues and community members can identify and avoid booking far-right performers looking for a platform, and what to do if you already have.
Organizers say the protests will continue indefinitely until the tax is repealed.