Hamilton’s mayor has reached out to local businesses, urging them to be cautious of an anti-immigration group promoting an upcoming conference in the area. Andrea Horwath emphasized the importance of venues being well-informed about the organization and the event’s purpose before deciding to host it. She expressed pride in leading a diverse city and highlighted concerns about the Dominion Society of Canada, the group behind the event known as DomCon 2026, which advocates for “remigration” policies deporting immigrants to their countries of origin.
In response to this, various Hamilton groups, including the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre (HARRC) and the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, issued an open letter on August 4. The letter called on businesses and institutions not to rent space to the Dominion Society and urged elected officials to denounce the group. Additionally, it requested leaders to commit to policies that do not contribute to the marginalization of immigrants and racialized communities in the city.
HARRC also released a guide with tips to help venues avoid unknowingly renting to hate-promoting groups. This initiative was prompted by incidents involving extremist groups like Diagolon and Second Sons securing spaces in community halls and gyms without the owners being aware of their true intentions.
The Dominion Society of Canada, known for endorsing the “great replacement” conspiracy theory, advocates for mass deportation measures targeting various groups, including temporary foreign workers and Canadian-born individuals with non-Canadian citizenship. Barbara Perry, from the Centre on Hate, Bias, and Extremism at Ontario Tech University, labeled the group’s arguments as inherently racist and xenophobic for blaming immigrants for the country’s issues.
Despite Dominion Society’s claim of being an advocacy group focusing on immigration reform and Canadian identity preservation, the Canadian Anti-Hate Network has identified it as part of a rising white-nationalist movement in Canada. Mayor Horwath clarified that she is not instructing venues to act against their policies but emphasized the need for them to understand the organization’s mandate and the nature of the event before making any bookings related to the group.
It remains undisclosed how many businesses received the mayor’s letter, but Horwath’s office confirmed that local venues potentially hosting the advertised event were contacted. The mayor assured that city facilities would not be made available to the organization and that bylaw staff are monitoring related event materials on public property.
In response to potential risks associated with DomCon 2026, Hamilton police are devising a plan to address any disruptions or criminal activities. They acknowledged the community’s concerns about the event’s promotion and assured a visible and appropriate police presence, promising enforcement actions where necessary. Police encouraged individuals facing threats, harassment, or hate-driven acts to report them, while HARRC offers a community tool for reporting hate incidents.