Nationalist Group Relocates Conference to Burlington After Hamilton Pushback

As CBC News first reported, a self-proclaimed nationalist group known as the Dominion Society relocated its day-long conference, titled "DomCon26," from Hamilton to Burlington, Ont., on Saturday. The group, which advocates for the deportation of millions of people from Canada, had originally planned to host the event in Hamilton.

Reporting from CBC News indicates that at least two Hamilton venues cancelled their bookings with the group, one occurring just days before the event. These cancellations followed a coordinated effort involving the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre (HARRC), Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwarth, certain Niagara municipalities, and Hamilton police, all of whom suggested venues should be aware of who is making a booking. Specifically, Hamilton police urged venues to think about the consequences of hosting the gathering.

In response to the shift, more than 100 people gathered at Hamilton city hall for a "Hope Not Hate" rally to denounce the group's ideology. Evan Balgord, executive director of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, told CBC Hamilton that the campaign to raise awareness and secure booking cancellations had worked.

The event ultimately took place at The Atrium Banquet and Conference Centre in Burlington. Alexandre R. Figueiredo, owner and CEO of Atrium, told CBC News via email that the venue was unaware of the Dominion Society's background when accepting the reservation and noted that disclosing social or political views is not a contractual requirement. The City of Burlington stated it was previously unaware of the conference and noted the event did not occur at a city-owned or operated facility.

Dominion Society founder Daniel Tyrie stated in an email that despite efforts from activists and Hamilton police, they were unable to cancel the event. CBC News observed several men in suits wearing Dominion Society lanyards at the Burlington venue, including a member identified as Max Genest.