Prominent white supremacist groups from across the country convened in Vancouver during the summer for a clandestine neo-Nazi conference that also drew martial arts gym owners, coaches, and trainers. The event, held at the Scottish Cultural Centre, was orchestrated by a group known as Exiles of the Golden Age and centered on discussions about creating “Männerbunds,” described as disciplined groups of men tasked with rebuilding society amidst anticipated upheaval.
Video footage obtained by CBC News’s visual investigations unit, sourced from the Canadian Anti-Hate Network (CAHN), captured attendees and organizers entering the conference. Speakers at the event, including a founding member of the white nationalist group Wolves of Vinland, emphasized the cultural and physical “war” in society and the necessity for ethically exclusive principles in the Männerbund formations.
Participants at the gathering included individuals with deep-rooted ties to the neo-Nazi movement and members of white supremacist nationalist group Second Sons Canada. Active clubs like Second Sons Canada engage in combat training, often in public spaces and private gyms, as previously reported by CBC News.
The Exiles of the Golden Age conference showcased a convergence of diverse individuals and groups in a significant event focused on philosophy, noted Evan Balgord, executive director of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network. The group’s folkish ideology, blending Germanic or Norse pagan traditions with white supremacist and neo-Nazi elements, reflects a cyclical historical perspective envisioning a return to a “golden age.”
The event also featured a book display and a presentation by the owner of Imperium Press, a self-described “illiberal and folkish” press publishing far-right texts. Gym owners, trainers, and coaches, including Lane Pommer from Westshore Boxing Gym, were identified among the attendees. Some of these individuals, when approached for comment, distanced themselves from the ideologies associated with the event.
The Exiles conference served as a nexus for various Canadian groups and international movements, attempting to forge alliances and promote their extremist ideologies. The presence of well-known figures like Marcus Follin and Paul Waggener underscored the event’s significance in connecting disparate factions within the white nationalist movement.
The increasing visibility of white nationalism in Canada, as evidenced by events like the Exiles conference, reflects a growing trend towards radicalization and extremist mobilization in the country.
