‘Without consequence’: Intelligence memos warn of runaway political violence online
Global News
Canadian intelligence officials say threatening rhetoric is increasingly seen as a legitimate way to express frustrations, grievances and dissent.
The torrent of online threats against public officials has led some Canadians to believe they can threaten, encourage and cheer on political violence with impunity, newly released government documents warn.
Canadian intelligence officials say threatening rhetoric is increasingly seen as a legitimate way to express frustrations, grievances and dissent, fuelling a surge of often violent threats against elected and public officials.
The documents raise yet more questions about how social media companies, police and political parties should respond to online violence, with security officials warning that it can lead to real-world physical harm.
“Vulnerable individuals — notably those experiencing personal or economic stressors — can be heavily influenced by disinformation campaigns and conspiracy theories that focus on symbols of authority, including political figures and uniformed personnel,” reads a memo prepared ahead of Canada Day celebrations in 2022.
“These narratives can inspire an act of violence,” the memo says.
Global News obtained dozens of threat assessments prepared between May 2022 and June 2023 by the Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre (ITAC), a federal body bringing together experts from across Canada’s intelligence and security agencies.
Several of the assessments prepared in December 2022 highlight the sense of impunity apparently felt by those who post threats and other violent content online.
“The sustained high volume of violent anti-authority online rhetoric against public officials has fostered a culture in which individuals feel that they can threaten, incite and celebrate political violence online without consequence,” ITAC concluded.
Budget 2025 has $160 million for wildfire personnel, equipment, training and contracts, but the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees worries funds will focus on gear, not people.
Quebec provincial police, the fire department, paramedics and representatives from the group managing the bridge were called to the scene.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday that tariffs on Canada and Mexico are still coming, but that President Donald Trump would determine the level of the levies.
Two men remain in critical condition following a home explosion Friday in Langley, B.C. One woman is still missing, and RCMP cannot confirm if she was in the home at the time.
After floating the idea of potential tariffs on lumber, President Donald Trump ordered a probe into U.S. imports that must be completed within 270 days.
Despite an explosive exchange in the Oval Office, the Kyiv-Washington relationship is not lost, analysts say, but future U.S. support in the war effort is still undetermined.
St. Mary's Academy says the decision to shutter the program was driven by operational and resource requirements.
A recent survey from CIBC said that two-thirds of Canadians say recent economic changes, including inflation and the cost of living, have made them adjust retirement plans.
A Halifax man died after he was taken into custody Friday night for what police described as a mental health episode. The provincial police watchdog is investigating.
A B.C. entrepreneur experienced a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounter this week when a pod of dolphins chased him down while he was shooting a video on his personal watercraft.
A new idea has emerged in G7 capitals in recent years — using the cash in frozen Russian accounts, or interest earned on those accounts, to help fund Ukraine's defence.
As Ontario is still working to clean up after the back-to-back winter storms, cities like Waterloo and Toronto face challenges with snow storage facility infrastructure.
Transport Minister Anita Anand says she plans to run for re-election amid President Donald Trump's tariff threats, a shift from her original plans earlier this year.