Federal Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole says he would back a move by the Liberal government to declare the Proud Boys as a terrorist organization..Liberal Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said in the wake of the rioting at the US Capitol on Wednesday, the Canadian government may add groups like the Proud Boys to its list of recognized terrorist groups..It’s a move O’Toole said on Sunday Conservatives would support..“Canada’s Conservatives have consistently stood against terrorism and extremism wherever it is found and whatever its motivation,” O’Toole tweeted.. Mossleigh pub briefly opens before authorities move in .“We will always support measures to keep Canadians safe from the threat of terror acts including from any group motivated by white supremacy. Conservatives support the listing of various white supremacist groups as terrorist organizations.”.The Proud Boys was founded by a Canadian Gavin McInnes, who has since moved to the US. The group self-describes itself as a “Western chauvinist” men’s organization, but it has come under criticism as a “far-right” or “white supremacist” group by critics..“We’re very mindful of ideologically-motivated violent extremists, including groups like the Proud Boys. They are white supremacists, anti-Semitics, Islamophobic, misogynist groups. They’re all hateful, they’re all dangerous,” Blair said in an interview with CTV’s Question Period..“We’re working very diligently to ensure that where the evidence is available, where we have the intelligence, that we’ll deal appropriately with those organizations.” .The Proud Boys were clearly visible in news footage of the Capitol riots. They also appeared to provide security at earlier protests in Calgary against COVID-19 restrictions..Blair and O’Toole did not note if ANTIFA would be included as a terrorist organization, despite being regularly involved in violence and riots..On Question Period, Blair noted in 2019 the federal government added international neo-Nazi network Blood & Honour and its armed affiliate Combat 18 to the terrorist roster and said: “there are others that will be added.” .“What we witnessed this week, an assault on one of the most important democratic institutions in the world, not just in the United States, and clearly motivated by extremism and hatred… I think that meets all of the criteria for terrorism,” he said..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
