Author: Carmen Celestini

Scholar Lisa Gasson-Gardner from Mount Royal University wrote for The Conversation about the far-right in Canada. In the informative piece my work with The Tyee was quoted. A great piece if you are interested in the topic.

The Waterloo District School Board responded to accusations based on slides from a training program in 2024. An anonymous member submitted to June News, formerly True North, a slide they argue states that using the word “family” is racist. This discussion stems from the anti-CRT moral panic, and is reminiscent of how Chris Rufo began the moral panic. I spoke to CBC in Kitchener Waterloo about this topic and the implications.

On June 10th I was a member of a panel for The Agenda with Steve Paikin on TVO, to discuss populism in Canada after the “Freedom Convoys.” It was a great discussion with scholars about the last federal election, populism, and politics in the nation. Scholars from political science, and myself bringing in conspiracy theories did not always agree, but it was lively!

This week I spoke with Agence France Presse about the disinformation campaign against Prime Minister Mark Carney, in the 2025 Federal election. This includes images of Carney with Jeffery Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Using a known conspiracy theory to link the new Liberal leader, adds to the distrust inherent in conspiracy theories, but also builds on a story well known in the conspiracy milieu. The piece is also available in French.

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.