Canadian Police Official Says ‘Traditional Values’ May Be Sign of Rising Extremism

A top Canadian police official has suggested that holding “traditional values” could be considered a potential indicator of extremism, sparking concerns about how law enforcement is monitoring ideological beliefs in the country.

During a panel discussion at the Anti-Hate Conference in Ottawa, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) official Inspector Hugh Currie discussed the agency’s approach to identifying potential extremist threats. Currie stated that while “traditional values” are not inherently dangerous, they can, in some contexts, serve as “flags” that law enforcement may consider when assessing risks of radicalization.

“We are seeing people using traditional values as a guise to promote ideologies that can lead to extremism,” Currie said, emphasizing that authorities are working to differentiate between individuals peacefully holding traditional beliefs and those who may use such beliefs as a cover for violent or extremist intentions.

Critics have raised concerns that labeling traditional values as a potential sign of extremism could create a chilling effect, discouraging Canadians from openly expressing their cultural or religious beliefs out of fear of being monitored by law enforcement. Some civil liberties advocates argue that this approach risks conflating conservative social views with violent extremism.

The RCMP later clarified that it does not consider holding traditional values alone to be a marker of extremism but stressed the importance of monitoring how extremist groups may exploit these values to recruit or radicalize individuals.

The discussion comes amid broader debates in Canada over free speech, the limits of ideological monitoring, and concerns about increasing polarization within the country. As law enforcement agencies continue to prioritize combating hate crimes and domestic extremism, balancing civil liberties with public safety remains a key challenge for Canadian authorities.

With input from Fox News