Hamilton’s mayor has reached out to local businesses, cautioning them about an anti-immigration group promoting an upcoming conference in the area. Andrea Horwath emphasized the importance of venues being fully informed about the organization and event’s purpose before deciding to host it. She underscored the city’s commitment to diversity, highlighting concerns about the Dominion Society of Canada, which is backing an event named DomCon 2026 on Aug. 29 and advocating for “remigration” policies.
In response, various Hamilton groups, such as the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre (HARRC) and the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, collectively penned an open letter on Aug. 4, urging businesses and institutions not to rent out their spaces to the Dominion Society. They urged elected officials to condemn the group and ensure their policies do not contribute to the targeting of immigrants and racialized communities.
HARRC also released a guide to assist venues in avoiding unwittingly renting to groups promoting hate. The organization pointed to past instances where extremist groups like Diagolon and Second Sons secured spaces at community halls and gyms, unbeknownst to the owners about the groups’ true intentions.
The Dominion Society of Canada’s website, a self-professed nationalist group, propagates the “great replacement” conspiracy theory, claiming that white people are being replaced by racialized individuals. The group advocates for mass deportations of various groups, including temporary foreign workers, permanent residents, and even Canadian-born individuals without Canadian citizenship.
Barbara Perry, the director of the Centre on Hate, Bias, and Extremism at Ontario Tech University, criticized the Dominion Society’s arguments as inherently racist and xenophobic. Horwath’s letter referenced the Canadian Anti-Hate Network’s identification of the Dominion Society as part of a growing white-nationalist movement in Canada.
The Dominion Society defended itself, stating it is not a hate group but an advocacy organization focusing on immigration reform and Canadian heritage preservation. The group has kept the location of the DomCon event secret to avoid potential backlash from dissenting individuals.
Mayor Horwath clarified that she is not instructing venues to act against their policies but believes they should be aware of the Dominion Society’s agenda and the nature of the event before making any bookings related to the organization. The total number of businesses that received the mayor’s letter was not disclosed.
Hamilton police are formulating a plan to address any risks, disruptions, or criminal activities linked to DomCon 2026. They acknowledged the potential fear and uncertainty the event’s promotion may cause and assured the community of their commitment to maintaining a visible and appropriate presence to address any issues lawfully. The police encouraged individuals experiencing threats or hate-motivated behavior to report such incidents, with HARRC offering a community-run tool for reporting hate incidents.