Hamilton’s mayor has reached out to local businesses, urging them to be cautious of an anti-immigration group publicizing an upcoming conference in the vicinity. Andrea Horwath emphasized the importance for venues to have a clear understanding of the organization and event purpose before considering hosting it. She highlighted the city’s diversity and expressed pride in fostering inclusion and respect, contrasting it with the Dominion Society of Canada’s promotion of “remigration” – the deportation of immigrants to their home countries.
Several Hamilton groups, including the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre (HARRC) and Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, recently penned an open letter urging businesses and institutions against renting space to Dominion Society. They called on elected officials to denounce the group and requested a commitment to policies that do not contribute to the scapegoating of immigrants and racialized communities in Hamilton.
HARRC also released a guide to assist venues in avoiding inadvertently renting to hate-promoting groups. The director of HARRC, Lyndon George, referenced instances where extremist groups like Diagolon and Second Sons secured space at community halls and gyms without the owners realizing their true intentions.
The Dominion Society of Canada, labeled as a nationalist group, endorses the controversial “great replacement” conspiracy theory on its website, which suggests a replacement of white people by racialized individuals. The group advocates for mass deportation of various groups, including temporary foreign workers, permanent residents, and even individuals born in Canada to non-Canadian citizens.
Barbara Perry from Ontario Tech University’s Centre on Hate, Bias, and Extremism criticized Dominion Society’s arguments as inherently racist and xenophobic. Horwath’s letter referenced the Canadian Anti-Hate Network’s identification of Dominion Society within a growing white-nationalist movement in Canada.
While Dominion Society denies being a hate group and portrays itself as an advocacy organization focusing on immigration reform, Horwath clarified that she is not compelling venues to act against their policies but urging them to be aware of the group’s agenda when considering bookings.
Hamilton police are devising a strategy 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 address any disruptive or unlawful behavior. Additionally, they encourage individuals facing threats, harassment, or hate-motivated incidents to report them, with HARRC offering a community tool for reporting hate incidents.