Category: Uncategorized

I was interviewed by Jillian Kestler-D’Amours for Al Jazeera for a piece on Pierre Poilievre. I spoke about his base who came from the Convoys, his use of “trigger” phrases and words for conspiracy theorists, and his appeal to young men who envision themselves as victims to “woke”

This evening I was one of the experts on TVO’s Big If True, discussing the extremism and conspiracy theories that some Tradwives speak online. It was a great conversation, one that is incredibly important.

I had the opportunity to discuss the changing optics and emotions tied to the Canadian flag with Christopher Cheung at The Tyee. The conversation is an important one, as Canadians grapple with the threats from the United States of annexation, and as we look at our history with the Residential Schools, and our Indigenous communities, as well as the “patriot” “freedom convoys.”

The flag has been both symbolic of a kind polite nation and one that caused such incredibly harm during colonization. The use of the flag for the Convoy movement tarnished the people’s understanding of the flag, many too embarrassed to be associated with the flag. Now as Trump threatens the nation there is a pride of “elbows up” and a unity under the waving red and white maple leaf.

This week I spoke to The Tyee about the Christian white nationalist, CaptiveDreamer who is followed (and reposted) by Elon Musk on X. The poster is a Canadian Citizen from British Columbia. In the interview I spoke about the growing Christian nationalism amongst young men in Canada, and the powerful influence of the Great Replacement in anti-immigration and hate ideology.

I spoke with CBC Ottawa about reclaiming the Canadian flag in light of the threats from Trump and the United States. Yet, the emotions in Ottawa from the Convoys still remain.

This morning I spoke to CBC Waterloo about the trajectory of the Canadian flag as a symbol of patriotism. As well as the growing impact of the visual representation of the flag as resistance to the annexation threats of the United States and Donald Trump.

Tactical Civics is a right wing Christian nationalist movement in the United States that wants to change not only American society, but the governing process. The group uses fear, conspiracies, hate, and God to mobilize individuals to work towards a country governed by biblical law while banning Islam in the nation. While writing this piece I became fascinated by the Repentant Remnant and will be writing more about these Christian nationalist movements.

 On November 8th I am part of a panel at uw to discuss the results of the 47th Presidential election. Experts in international relations, American culture and history, religion and politics, and me with conspiracy and Extremism will analyze the lead to up to the election and implications of the new president.

It will be held at the University of Waterloo at 3pm in Hagey Hall. If you’re in Waterloo come join in on the discussion. Veronica Kitchen, Andrew Hunt, and Scott Kline, are incredibly smart so this panel will be informative, entertaining, and thought provoking.

In 2025, I will have a manuscript published: Constructed Victimhood next year. The book contextualizes the role of a sense of persecution of white, Christian, men express on social media, providing an persona of victimhood allowing them to pursue an ideology of anti-immigration, anti-feminism, and anti-LGBTQ2SA communities. They are not alone, with some Christian women online, articulating the same victim status helping to mobilize a Christian nationalist movement across North America. Please check back for more details!

During my Postdoctoral Fellow position at the Disinformation Project at Simon Fraser University, we created a novel approach to coding conspiracy theories and right-wing extremists’ use of these theories to spread their ideologies. The entire group including Dr. Ahmed Al-Rawi, are the authors of The Canadian Far Right and Conspiracy Theories, with Routledge’s Far Right Series. Stay tuned for updated publication dates!