A Brief History

Racism and hate propaganda have long been part of the Canadian experience, beginning with the campaign of dehumanization of Native peoples by European settles, resulting in cultural genocide and unpunished abuses. There is also evidence of rampant anti-Semititsm in the early days of Canada, with later hate propaganda against Chinese, Sikh and Japanese Canadians.

By the 1920's and 1930's, Blacks, Catholics and Jews were being viciously attacted by hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan. As immigration increased after World War I, so did the backlash against foreigners, minority groups and individuals. Hate groups feasted then, as they do now, on tension and turmoil.

During World War II, prominent Canadians praised Hitler's leadership, while government policy denied safety to European Jews fleeing Nazi persecution.

Hate group activity is related to shifts in attitudes towards politics and minority groups. In times of prosperity, as acceptance of diverse groups and communities rises, hate group and overt racist activity decline. Economic downturn is usually accompanied by scapegoating of minorities and immigrants by those looking for someone to blame for their problems. As in the 1920's and 1930's, the recession of the 1990's has proved to be an opportune time for a rise in hate group activity.

In these difficult economic times, many young people, unless parents, teachers and others are observant, can be enlisted through exposure to continuous hate propaganda aimed at recruiting them to the racist cause.

The original plaintext version of this file is available via ftp.

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