Canada Funds New International Network to Combat Violent Extremism

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The Canadian government, through Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced a massive investment of over $199,000 to establish the Transatlantic Network Against Extremism (TransNex). 

 

This funding, provided through Public Safety Canada's Community Resilience Fund (CRF), will support the SOCLES International Centre for Socio-Legal Studies in collaboration with the Canadian Practitioners Network for Prevention of Radicalization and Extremist Violence.

 

TransNex aims to facilitate exchanges between frontline practitioners, subject matter experts, and policymakers from Canada, Germany, the United States, and Europe. 

 

The network will focus on building knowledge and developing new resources to combat violent extremism. 

 

By fostering a collaborative environment, TransNex seeks to create shared solutions tailored to local needs, including training and tools for practitioners to adapt to evolving threats and learn more about effective methods to prevent and counter violent extremism.

 

The initiative underscores the Canadian government's commitment to international collaboration in countering radicalization to violence. 

 

By funding TransNex, the government aims to support frontline professionals in sharing information and best practices, thereby enhancing global security and resilience against emerging threats.

 

Minister LeBlanc emphasized the importance of combating the spread of hatred with every available tool, stating, "By supporting collaboration and knowledge-sharing among professionals in countering radicalization to violence, we are helping strengthen Canada's resilience against emerging threats and increasing our capacity to identify and prevent radicalization to violence in all its forms."

 

Dr. Thomas Meysen, Managing Director of the SOCLES International Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, highlighted the significance of international cooperation, saying, "Preventing and combating group-hatred and grievance-based violence is not only a concern for states at the national level. All stakeholders need to stand together to make our societies resilient in the face of anti-democratic and discriminatory convictions. The transatlantic exchange of knowledge and experience enabled by the TransNex project will enhance mutual learning and makes us stronger in the fight against violent extremism."