Title: Hamilton anti-racism groups give tips on how to avoid unwittingly renting venues to groups deemed extremist

URL Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/dominion-society-9.7299728

Published Time: 2026-08-08T08:00:00.000Z

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Dominion Society, which supports deporting immigrants en masse, is advertising a conference in Hamilton this month. It's prompted anti-racism groups to advise venues and businesses on how to avoid unwittingly booking events by groups they say promote hate, an issue that's come up in other parts of the country.

## Dominion Society of Canada plans conference in Hamilton area this month

![Image 1](https://i.cbc.ca/ais/1.6980004,1697053152000/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%28800%2C0%2C4011%2C4011%29%3BResize%3D76)

[Justin Chandler](http://www.cbc.ca/author/justin-chandler-1.5256053) · CBC News

· Posted: Aug 08, 2026 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: August 8

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![Image 3: People mostly wearing khaki pants and green shirts wave Red Ensign flags at the foot of a statue.](https://i.cbc.ca/ais/4448d7cf-29b3-401d-97b4-f13df3a34136,1786138247637/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%2875%2C0%2C1183%2C665%29%3B)

A screenshot from a video by Dominion Society of Canada shows members gathering by the statue of Queen Victoria in Hamilton's Gore Park. The group, which advocates deporting immigrants, is advertising a conference in the Hamilton area this month.(Dominion Society of Canada/YouTube)

An organization calling for the deportation of immigrants says it's hosting a conference in the Hamilton area on Aug. 29, prompting local anti-racism groups to take action.

In an [open letter](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S7vi4zZ-ZOI0bsw6Va3le1knm82eYkA0lncZ-9JfIcc/edit?tab=t.0), several organizations, including the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre (HARRC) and Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion (HCCI), are urging businesses and institutions not to rent space to Dominion Society of Canada and other such groups.

The letter also shares tips to help venues avoid unwittingly letting extremist groups book their events.

_**WATCH | Dominion Society is 'inherently racist and xenophobic,' expert says:**_

![Image 4](https://i.cbc.ca/ais/4448d7cf-29b3-401d-97b4-f13df3a34136,1786138247637/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%28479%2C0%2C374%2C664%29%3BResize%3D343)

Anti-immigration group could be looking to rent your venue

August 8|

Duration 2:12

The Dominion Society of Canada, a group advocating for the deportation of millions of immigrants, says it’s hosting a conference in the Hamilton area Aug. 29. Local anti-racist organizations are asking businesses not to host them. They've also produced a guide on how to avoid accidentally renting to groups they say promote hate.

The website of Dominion Society of Canada, a self-proclaimed nationalist group, says members seek "immigration reform to preserve Canada’s cultural continuity." It also espouses the [great replacement](https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/great-replacement-theory-canada-1.6459699) conspiracy theory, which suggests white people are being replaced by racialized people.

The open letter calls Dominion Society a "hate-based group" that aims to turn Canada into a "white ethno-state."

It notes the group has been active in Hamilton before, posting a video of a gathering in May. In it, Dominion Society members argued with people out in public and advocated restoring the Sir John A. Macdonald statue that [protesters toppled in 2021](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/rally-macdonald-statue-gore-park-hamilton-1.6141279).

Dominion Society hasn't shared where its $150 ticketed event — called DomCon 2026 — will take place, and told CBC Hamilton it will not do so publicly.

## Space-booking concerns not new

Since the group began advertising its conference months ago, concerned residents have been reaching out to HARRC, director Lyndon George told CBC Hamilton.

"We want to make sure that this group does not feel like its messaging can take root in our community with the type of extremist language we see all too often," George said Thursday.

Part of that, he said, is ensuring businesses have the tools they need to deny renting space to groups they find hateful.

That can be challenging, George said, pointing to recent instances in which [RCMP-identified-extremist group](https://publicorderemergencycommission.ca/files/documents/Final-Report/Vol-2-Report-of-the-Public-Inquiry-into-the-2022-Public-Order-Emergency.pdf)[Diagolon](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/diagolon-jarvis-norfolk-1.7282716) and [Second Sons](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/second-sons-leaders-livestreams-9.7022853) — whose leaders welcome open neo-Nazis into their ranks — secured space at [community halls](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/shell-shocked-residents-of-alberta-town-shaken-by-large-white-supremacist-training-meetup-9.7297070) and [gyms](https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/fascist-fight-club). Their owners said they were unaware of the groups' true intentions.

As a result, [HARRC has developed a guide](https://www.harrc.ca/post/hamilton-community-call-to-action-public-letter-community-petition-and-new-guide-for-businesses-a) for people who manage and work at event spaces to recognize and respond to extremist organizing.

_**WATCH | White supremacists book unsuspecting hall in Millarville, Alta.:**_

![Image 5](https://i.cbc.ca/ais/42b1bb16-f829-4e55-a4c8-65fcaa0ec93c,1785963537668/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%2891%2C0%2C405%2C720%29%3BResize%3D343)

Locals 'shell shocked' by white supremacist group training in Alberta hamlet

August 6|

Duration 2:16

Second Sons, Canada's predominant white supremacist group, held a large meeting in July where masked members participated in military-style drills. CBC's visual investigations team and CBC Calgary uncover the location of the meeting and speak to residents of the small Alberta hamlet of Millarville, shedding light on a recurring strategy for white supremacist groups: booking unsuspecting community centres.

The guide encourages venues to ask about the exact purpose of the event, which should be spelled out in the booking contract so the renter is held accountable regarding the stated purpose.

It also suggests that contract clauses include that subleases not be allowed, ensure staff can inspect ongoing events, and state that events must not feature forms of bigotry. The guide also suggests researching speakers ahead of time, keeping any sign of extremist symbols in mind.

*   [Hamilton committee approves hate response plan as members urge stronger actions](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/hate-response-plan-9.7148570)

CBC showed HARRC's guide to Aaron Spinney, the brewmaster and general manager at Merit Brewing in Hamilton. He said it's a helpful resource, calling the presence of white nationalist groups in the city "off-putting and shocking."

"We wouldn't go through with a booking using our event space like that," Spinney said, adding that Merit tries to be an inclusive space. "For us, the most important thing is putting our best foot forward and making sure that not only our policies are laid out, but what we stand for is very clear."

Times are difficult in the hospitality industry, Spinney said, so he can understand why people would be eager to take large reservations. However, taking the time to ask questions and educate yourself and staff is important, he said.

Dominion Society says the Hamilton groups that are opposing the group are the ones promoting hate. In an email on Wednesday, a spokesperson told CBC Hamilton that the group is keeping the location of DomCon secret so its members aren't targeted by people who disagree with them.

George said HARRC and others are not advocating any type of violence.

Dominion Society said it's not a hate group, but rather, it's "an advocacy group that promotes and preserves Canadian heritage and identity with a focus on immigration reform."

According to the group's website, "mass immigration" has harmed Canadian culture, the economy, education and health-care systems. The answer, the group says, is "remigration" or "the return of foreigners to their respective homelands." It also calls for a policy of mass deportation targeting millions of immigrants.

## 'Their very presence is intimidating'

Barbara Perry, who directs the Centre on Hate, Bias and Extremism at Ontario Tech University, said those arguments are "inherently racist and xenophobic" because they lay the country's problems at the feet of immigrants.

When it comes to who the group wants to see deported, "I think it's pretty clear from their language that what they mean is non-white, non-Christian," Perry said Friday. "Their very presence is intimidating to the sorts of communities they would like to remove."

*   [Antisemitism on campus is 'systemic' and going unaddressed, says new report](http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/antisemitism-report-university-college-campus-9.7297176)

Businesses that rent space to groups like Dominion Society have said they did so unwittingly, Perry noted, which is why HARRC's guide is "such a great move."

"This is a really proactive way to inform the community so that they know what they're looking at," she said. "It encourages them to do a little bit of homework to make sure they're not renting out to folks who are going to instil fear."

## Expert warns idea of remigration gaining traction

The open letter by HARRC and others also calls on elected officials to denounce Dominion Society, and assert that a commitment to ensuring policies and statements "will not contribute to the scapegoating of immigrants and racialized communities that is on the rise in Hamilton."

Perry agreed that leaders should speak out to debunk discredited ideas like the great replacement theory and counter the idea of remigration, which, she said, are gaining traction.

Dominion Society and other groups are making headway in getting their ideas to the mainstream, Perry said, pointing to the [policies](https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/migrants-expulsion-us-hearing-analysis-1.7430993) of U.S. President Donald Trump.

CBC Hamilton asked Mayor Andrea Horwath to respond to the open letter.

"While people are free to express their views, I have always been clear that there is no place for hate, racism or discrimination in Hamilton," Horwath said in a statement.

"I encourage any venue considering hosting this event to review the organization's publicly stated objectives before making a decision. If a booking request is made for a city-owned facility, I would expect it to be carefully reviewed in accordance with the City of Hamilton policies.”

## ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Justin Chandler is a CBC News reporter in Hamilton. He covers stories of all kinds from places including picket lines, court rooms, council meetings and research labs. Justin has a special interest in how public policy affects people, and loves a quirky human-interest story. Before CBC Hamilton, he worked for TVO and on a variety of CBC teams and programs. He co-hosted Radio Free Krypton on Met Radio.

*   [More by Justin](https://www.justinchandler.work/)
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*   [Contact CBC Hamilton](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/contact-cbc-hamilton-1.3622559)

With files from Aura Carreño Rosas