Canada is no stranger to hate. From Ku Klux Klan rallies in the 1920s and fascist sympathizers of the 1930s to the so-called Freedom Convoy’s occupation of Ottawa a century later, far-right extremism is a homegrown phenomenon, deeply woven into the nation’s political and cultural fabric.

Through firsthand interviews with former extremists, policymakers, and experts, alongside historical context, For Blood and Soil shows how hate movements – far from an imported problem – have evolved and rebranded, with extremist ideas moving seamlessly between virtual spaces and real-world violence. Over the past decade, online far-right activity in Canada has surged, connecting with networks of incels, QAnon followers, anti-government groups, and other conspiracy-driven communities. Public attention has often focused on religiously motivated violence, overlooking the threat from adherents to secular ideologies, even as violent attacks have risen. Moving beyond frameworks that focus on the United States and Europe, Stephanie Carvin and Amarnath Amarasingam offer targeted recommendations to address this serious threat to Canada’s institutions and social cohesion.

By tracing the experiences of individuals who have joined and left extremist groups, this accessible and authoritative work uncovers how extremist ideologies are financed and facilitated and how personal and political forces sustain hate across generations.

“This book upends the assumption that these far-right ideas and networks are not part of the Canadian fabric. A digestible, extremely interesting, and well-researched primer.” Elizabeth Simons, Canadian Anti-Hate Network “Vital for understanding how the global rise of far-right populism is playing out in Canada, For Blood and Soil assembles a wide range of sources to document the movement’s evolution from 1930s fascists to 1980s skinheads to the recent Freedom Convoy.” - Jonathan Montpetit, CBC News

“For Blood and Soil offers an important, well-researched, and engaging history and analysis of the Canadian far right, distinguishing it from the better-known American and European strains.” - Aaron Winter, co-author of Reactionary Democracy: How Racism and the Populist Far Right Became Mainstream

Amarnath Amarasingam (Author)
Amarnath Amarasingam is associate professor in the School of Religion, cross-appointed to the Department of Political Studies, at Queen’s University.

Stephanie Carvin (Author)
Stephanie Carvin is associate professor of international relations at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs.