Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) in a comprehensive security assessment report on threats both domestic and from abroad highlighted the danger of “gender-based violence.”It’s “certain to continue,” predicts CSIS. The assessment of security threats, released this month, documents examples in recent years of what CSIS describes as the “anti-gender movement,” and defines as “the ideological opposition to the socio-cultural shifts that are represented by the integration and acceptance of gender theory, including acceptance of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.”“Individuals may become engaged with the movement for many reasons, including beliefs stemming from misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, religious interpretations, conspiracy theories, or a generalized fear of socio-cultural change,” wrote CSIS. CSIS since 2015 has been granted authority to implement Threat Reduction Measures (TRMs), which are “operational actions intended to reduce a threat to the security of Canada.”“Given its mandate and collection capabilities, CSIS is at times the best placed Government of Canada entity to confront a national security threat,” CSIS wrote in its own report. The federal police service admitted in 2023 it conducted 14 non-warranted TRMs. “Any TRM that would limit a right or freedom, or contravene any other Canadian law, requires a warrant issued by the Federal Court of Canada,” wrote CSIS. CSIS Operations Deputy Director Vanessa Lloyd, appointed in the spring of 2023, is “responsible for directing CSIS’ human intelligence collection, intelligence analysis, security screening and threat reduction efforts.”“Hostile state actors and violent extremist organizations alike” are now equipped with advanced technological “capabilities never before thought possible,” wrote Lloyd in the report, adding that “greater online connectivity means that younger people are increasingly vulnerable to extremist rhetoric and ideas.”"Hostile state actors have become increasingly belligerent and emboldened to advance their objectives in both the physical and cyber realms in any way necessary, while seeking to silence those who challenge their narrative,” said Lloyd. “Violent extremism, whether it is ideologically, religiously, or politically motivated, continues to pose a significant threat to Canada’s national security."Lloyd pointed to a handful of examples of “violent extremist threats activity targeting public safety,” referring to them as “ideologically motivated violent extremism (IMVE).” “Extreme racist, anti-gender and identity, and anti-authority views combined with personal grievances can result in an individual’s willingness to incite, enable or mobilize to violence.”These IMVEs include xenophobic, anti-authority, gender identity driven and “other” types of violence. The report specifically targets “incels,” or the “involuntary celibate, described by CSIS as “gender/identity-driven violence.” “Involuntary celibates (incels) are predominantly male online community adherents who define themselves by their inability to engage in sexual activities with women," wrote CSIS. “They blame women—and society as a whole—for their personal circumstances.”One such case involves a 17-year-old at a Toronto, ON, spa in 2020 who killed a female employee with a sword. According to CSIS, the boy “claimed to be part of the involuntary celibate (incel) community and openly espoused incel narratives.” A federal court ruled the crime a “terrorist activity — motivated in whole or in part by incel ideology.”“The ruling is significant as it provides, for the first time, greater clarity on the meaning of the term ‘ideological’ and concludes that the incel worldview constitutes an ideology for the purpose of terrorism offences,” wrote Lloyd. Lloyd in her report referred to another example of “anti-gender driven violence” of a 24-year-old recent grad at the University of Waterloo, ON , who entered a Gender Studies class and killed the teacher and two students with a kitchen knife. He was also prosecuted as a terrorist. “His primary motivation was likely his anti-gender views,” speculated Lloyd in the report. “The alleged perpetrator’s actions appear driven by a desire to express his grievances and send a message to his perceived enemies. CSIS assesses that the attack constitutes an act of IMVE and represents an example of anti-gender ideology violence.”“CSIS assesses that the violent threat posed by the anti-gender movement is almost certain to continue over the coming year (2024) and that violent actors may be inspired by the University of Waterloo attack to carry out their own extreme violence against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community or against other targets they view as representing the gender ideology agenda,” wrote Lloyd. “While violent rhetoric itself does not equate or often lead to violence, the ecosystem of violent rhetoric within the anti-gender movement, compounded with other extreme worldviews, can lead to serious violence. CSIS assesses that exposure to entities espousing anti-gender extremist rhetoric could inspire and encourage serious violence against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, or against those who are viewed as supporters of pro-gender ideology policies and events.”Third and fourth examples included in the report are related to “neo-Nazi” movements and not related to gender. The report goes on to describe religious violent extremists related to terror groups Hamas and Al Qaeda. “Anti-2SLGBTQIA+ and antisemitic rhetoric is spreading widely through social media and online forums,” wrote CSIS. “Charismatic RMVE leaders in Canada continue to use international events to amplify their propaganda to radicalize and recruit vulnerable individuals while encouraging both domestic acts of violence and international travel to conflict zones. Consequently, CSIS assesses that RMVE actors will continue to pose a domestic threat to Canada in 2024."
