Niagara councils join push for justice system changes after sexual assault of Welland, Ont., toddler (CBC)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/niagara-justice-system-change-calls-welland-assault-1.7645247

Activist urges caution as calls grow for stricter bail rules, public access to sex offender registries

Diona Macalinga · CBC News · Posted: Sep 27, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

About 200 people gathered outside the St. Catharines, Ont., courthouse for a protest this month as the 25-year-old accused in the sexual assault of a young Welland girl was due for a court hearing. Community members and many politicians are calling for changes to the justice system. (Thomas Daigle/CBC)

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WARNING: This story references child sexual assault.

The councils in the Niagara Region and City of St. Catharines have joined the growing call for changes to the justice system following the assault of a three-year-old girl in Welland, Ont., and arrest of a registered sex offender who was released early from prison.

St. Catharines councillors on Monday passed a motion urging the federal government to open the national and Ontario sex offender registries to the public, to better support victims of sexual and violent crime and to implement bail reform measures.  

Coun. Kevin Townsend tabled the initial motion, highlighting "public concern" about "bail practices with repeat violent and sexual offenders being released back into communities under conditions that have proven inadequate to protect the public." It called for such offenders not to be released "unless it can be clearly demonstrated that they do not pose a risk to public safety."

Council's amendments to the motion include calls on Ottawa to provide more services and financial support for victims, and asked the federal government to address "significant gaps in practical implementation of support for victims, inconsistent provincial and territorial services, and the needs of marginalized groups within the justice system."

Also this week, at a Regional Municipality of Niagara meeting, Welland Coun. Pat Chiocchio tabled a motion calling on Queen's Park and Ottawa to have "more restrictive" bail, sentencing and release conditions for repeat violent and sexual offenders, and ensure they "are not prematurely released into communities where they pose an ongoing threat."

The motion asks the Ontario government to "establish stricter monitoring measures," which includes mandatory long-term supervision and GPS monitoring of sexual offenders.

• Accused in sex assault of girl, 3, in Welland, Ont., was let out of jail early after 'violent' attack of boy

• 6th charge laid against sex offender accused of assaulting 3-year-old girl in Welland, Ont.

Daniel Senecal, the accused in the Welland case, had previously been added to the National Sex Offender Registry for 20 years, stemming from the sexual assault of a 12-year-old boy. 

Earlier this month, Senecal, 25, was charged with breach of probation to go with previous charges of aggravated sexual assault and sexual interference on a person under 16, break and enter, choking and assault. Senecal is accused of breaking into the family home of the three-year-old girl overnight on the Labour Day weekend and attacking her.

When arrested on Aug. 31, Senecal was serving a year of probation for the sexual assault of the 12-year-old in 2021 and sentenced to 18 months in jail, but was released six months early, in March, according to the boy's family.

Daniel Senecal was arrested on Aug. 31 and charged with sexual assault of a person under age 16. (Submitted by Koreen Perry)

A case that's caused public, political outcry 

The case has stirred anger and debate, among community members as well as by politicians at the federal, provincial and local level.

Earlier this month, Welland Mayor Frank Campion wrote to Prime Minister Mark Carney, demanding sentencing and bail reform, the elimination of the possibility of parole for "heinous offences," and "more stringent use and enforcement of the National Sex Offender Registry."

Mayor Mat Siscoe of St. Catharines then wrote to Ontario Premier Doug Ford with similar demands.

Ontario and federal officials — including Niagara Centre NDP MPP Jeff Burch, Brantford-area Conservative MP Larry Brock, Premier Doug Ford and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre  — also have spoken out and would like to see harsher penalties.

It's estimated 200 people were outside the St. Catharines courthouse for the demonstration. The accused is set for another court hearing in October. (CBC)

At the community level, there was a public demonstration outside the St. Catharines courthouse when Senecal was due for a bail hearing. Many of the about 200 protesters were carrying signs displaying messages opposing bail for the accused or demanding broader reforms to keep violent offenders in prison longer. 

After the arrest of Senecal, the Niagara Regional Police Service warned against "vigilante actions" as the case proceeds.

The next court date is scheduled for Oct. 8.

Bail reform won't fix problem, says activist

Despite the outcry for tougher bail and other conditions, at least one activist urges caution.

"This isn't a catch-and-release problem," Saleh Waziruddin, executive member of the Niagara Region Anti-Racism Association, said at Monday's St. Catharines council meeting. 

Waziruddin believes stricter bail rules would mean more people in detention before they've been convicted. That could also disproportionately affect racialized people who are overrepresented in the criminal justice system, he said. 

For instance, in 2021, only five per cent of Ontario's general population were Black adults, yet they made up 14 per cent of those in custody, according to the federal government.

Waziruddin believes early detection and treatment is more effective than a focus on incarceration to prevent sexual offenders from reoffending. He also expressed concern for vigilante violence if the National Sex Offender Registry were to go public.

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If you're in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911. For support in your area, you can look for crisis lines and local services via the Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada database. ​​

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Diona Macalinga

Reporter

Diona Macalinga is a St. Catharines-based reporter covering communities in the Niagara region. Before that, she was a video journalist reporting on the Quebec legislature, culture and community news in Montreal. You can email story ideas and tips to her at diona.macalinga@cbc.ca.

With files from Samantha Beattie, Thomas Daigle and Marc Apollonio

Demands for Justice Reform Grow in Niagara (105.1 The River)

https://www.105theriver.ca/news/local-news/demands-for-justice-reform-grow-in-niagara/ 

Friday, 26 September 2025 17:50

By Geoff Waterfield

The Niagara Region adding its muscle in wanting bail reform

Another victory lap for Niagara residents pushing for changes in the justice system and bail reform, after a 3-year old and 12-year old were assaulted.

Niagara Regional council will ask the federal and provincial governments to act, including making child sex offender registries public.

Last night Councillor Peter Secord applauded a number of people who got up to speak.  "They're coming forward and telling their stories and getting involved instead of sitting, like most other Canadians, on their hands not doing anything.  Don't make this about other things, there's a lot of other things that are wrong in this country with the laws, but this thing that happened here, in our region, is the worst of the worst of the worst, and it's gotta stop."

However, resident Saleh Waziruddin disagrees bail reform would have protected the 3-year old girl, and repeat offenders generally don't get bail.

Instead of jail, he stresses preventing crime in the first place.  "Boston reduced murders by 60% with 10% fewer police.  You're looking at capping budgets that are faced with increased police budgets because of more crime? Boston has less crime with smaller police force.  Glasgow went from being the murder capital of Europe to 40% less violent crime in less than a decade.  This wasn't with crackdowns and longer sentences."

The region joins a growing number of Niagara municipalities advocating for change.

Speech to Niagara Regional Council against support for "Tough on Crime" crackdowns

 

Councillors I’m Saleh Waziruddin.

We’re told to protect kids we need to cut bail, more jail time, and open offender registries. None of these things will protect kids but that doesn’t matter to some who are pushing this “tough on crime” agenda because it pushes your buttons of anger and fear.

The accused in Welland wasn’t out on bail, so bail changes would have made no difference in protecting the victim. But we were told on Monday at St. Catharines City Council the accused was offered bail. More misinformation. Everyone has the Charter right to try to get bail. But this Charter right is absolutely useless, it’s as useless as offering Trump a Tylenol. What good is a right if you can’t actually use it.

Last year in Ontario less than half got bail. Repeat offenders generally don’t get bail.

We don’t have a catch-and-release problem, we have the opposite: guilty until proven innocent. The government has a name for this, “reverse onus,” because it’s intentional and was part of bail changes made two years ago.

So that crackdown on bail you want to protect the kids? It was already done two years ago, didn’t protect the recent victims. Why are you asking for it again?

Last year almost 60% of people charged in Ontario were found not guilty or had charges withdrawn, stayed, etc. This means most people in jail will never get bail for crimes they will never be convicted of.

We know who this affects the most. Black people are three times more disproportionately in prison in Ontario and for Indigenous people in Canada it’s five times, most without bail. But it gets worse.

Human Rights Watch and the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls found Indigenous women don’t report abuse because they’ll be arrested as well in “dual arrests,” and then will be stuck in jail without get bail charged with violence when they are the victim. We’re on the eve of the Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

As others point out, the reason offender registries aren’t public is because of vigilante violence. We saw nooses brandished in our downtowns (you don’t need the CBC to know this), the meaning is pretty clear. The police have had to talk to people about violating publication bans, it’s clear they won’t stick within the law. But it’s not just registered offenders who’ll have that noose around their neck. A few days ago local papers published a desperate letter from someone with two of their three names the same as one of the accused, worried they or their family will be hurt. Who’s going to protect their kids?

The accused in Welland was released early by a few months. Would a few more months would have made the difference? A study by Dr. Irwin Waller of the University of Ottawa of over 400 men released from prison found that those who were held for their full sentence were 56% more likely to re-offend than those who were out early on parole where they were under conditions and given supports. IF offenders are going to get out of prison at some point, shouldn’t we have them re-offend less if it’s about protecting the kids?

The uncle of the previous victim of the accused in Welland told CBC he had wanted a longer sentence but for treatment, not punishment. But why not have the treatment before the first victim was even attacked? That’s how other cities have been reducing violent crime and protecting their kids for about 50 years.

The motion for getting “tough on crime” is going in the direction of locking offenders up forever, throw away the key. But for those years and decades you are counting on locking people up, you aren’t counting on how to prevent them from committing the crimes in the first place.

Boston reduced murders by 60% with 10% fewer police. You’re looking at capping budgets but are faced with increasing police budgets because of more crime. Boston got less crime with a smaller police force. Glasgow went from being the murder capital of Europe to 40% less violent crime in less than a decade. This wasn’t with crackdowns or longer sentences.

So how did they protect their kids? Health officials looked at injuries from violence as a health problem, and with any health problem you do early detection, education, and then get treatment early. The uncle of the previous victim of the accused in Welland wanted treatment in prison, but why not do treatment in the first place by catching early signs of violence? Wouldn’t that protect the kids more?

Regional Council recognized racism as a health issue earlier. So why aren’t you advocating for treating violence and crime as a health and social problem to protect the kids? “Tough on crime” sells better because it pushes the right buttons hard, but “smart on crime” actually protects the kids.

Just because everyone is jumping on this bandwagon doesn’t make it non-partisan. This is a partisan issue but I’m not the one saying this. The campaign manager of the federal Conservatives said her party was the one driving this agenda. You didn’t see Liberal, NDP, or Green ads about crime and crackdowns in the election. But after a few months everyone has jumped on board their agenda because of how it pushes our buttons about protecting kids.

It’s no accident that some of the same people who are pushing anti-trans misinformation and hate are behind the push for this crackdown. The Welland case was used to push more anti-trans hate. This is because they are pushing the same buttons: fear and anger to protect kids. But it’s based on misinformation we should reject. Some of those involved in pushing this agenda include one person identified by the CBC as participating in white supremacist groups and I know some of you on this Council are already victims of misinformation from this person, so you know already.

This Council should advocate for treating crime and violence as social and health problems like it did with racism earlier, to protect kids. It works. Crackdowns and vigilante violence pushes buttons but doesn’t protect kids.

Thank you

Niagara Regional Council votes to ask governments to get tough on crime (610AM CKTB)

https://610cktb.com/niagara-regional-council-votes-to-ask-governments-to-get-tough-on-crime/

An emotional night at Niagara Region Council Thursday as sexual assault victims pled with councillors to support a motion to strengthen laws and make the sex offender list public.

A number of delegates appearing before council, saying it’s time to get tough on crime, and the Niagara Region should advocate for it.

“When parole is violated without meaningful consequences it sends a dangerous message that safety of a community is negotiable.” Local resident

Meantime, Saleh Waziruddin, from the Niagara Anti-Racism Association, spoke against making the sex offender list public knowledge, saying it will only cause more crime and hate.

“It’s no accident some of the same people who push anti-trans messages of hate are behind this push for this crackdown. The Welland case was used to push more anti-trans hate, this is because they are pushing the same buttons, fear and anger to protect kids, but it’s based on misinformation we should reject.”

Council eventually voted to support the motion to call on the federal and provincial government to strengthen laws, sentencing and parole restrictions.

Councillors also unanimously voted in favour of asking the provincial government for more financial help for Niagara to address the homelessness and addiction crisis.

Meantime, Regional Chair Jim Bradley remains in hospital recovering from symptoms of a warning stroke.

Acting Chair for the month of September, Port Colborne Regional Councillor, Vance Badawey, thanked councillors for helping fill the gaps in Bradley’s absence.

The 80-year-old Chair has been hospitalized since the end of August.

Photo/story credit: Bonnie Heslop 610 CKTB News

St. Catharines Demands Tougher Justice (101.1 MORE FM coverage includes my speech opposing the motion)

https://www.101morefm.ca/news/local-news/st-catharines-demands-tougher-justice/ 

St. Catharines Demands Tougher Justice

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Tuesday, 23 September 2025 18:15

By Geoff Waterfield

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City council joining other Niagara municipalities, one resident still has fears of her abuser

The list of Niagara municipalities demanding justice reform by the federal and provincial governments now has St. Catharines on board.

There was strong, passionate support last night for Councillor Kevin Townsend's motion, especially after hearing from residents.

Elizabeth Emerson says she was abused for many years as a child, and following the Welland assault of a little girl, she now sleeps in her kids' room, making sure all doors and windows are locked.  "As a survivor who's abuser is now out, again, that was released after 3-years of good behaviour, after stealing 10-years of my childhood, I fear every day that he will follow through with the threats that he has given me."

Many speakers and councillors acknowledged the threat of vigilantism.

However, resident Saleh Waziruddin said bail reform would not have made any difference in the Welland assault of the little girl, as under half of all court cases in Ontario last year were granted bail.

He also pointed to a study.  "The University of Ottawa did a study of over 400 men released from prison over 2-years... and guess what they found?  Those who were kept in prison for their full sentence were 56% more likely to re-offend than people let out early on parole."

He says toughening the justice system is not the answer, but early detection of violence and abuse.

The motion passed by council included making sex offender registry public, which is also what Niagara Falls, Welland and other towns have done.
 

Speech to St. Catharines City Council against getting "tough" on crime because it doesn't work

 

My speech against #StCatharines Council motion calling or getting tough on crime because it doesn't work.

"Hi mayor and councillors I am Saleh Waziruddin.

There’s a lot of misinformation about bail and that recently accused people were out on bail when they weren’t, unlike what some others have said here tonight. Bail reform would not have made any difference for the assault in Welland.

In Ontario last year just under half of all bail court cases were granted bail. People who are repeat offenders are generally not granted bail, though everyone has a Charter right to try for bail.

Almost 60% of all people charged were either found innocent or had charges withdrawn, things like that.

So this isn’t a catch and release problem. This is the opposite problem: guilty until proven innocent. And the government has a phrase for this: reverse onus, because it’s intentional. This is part of bail changes made two years ago that are keeping so many people in jail without bail who are never convicted.

And we can’t forget who this disproportionately affects. Black people are three times more likely to be denied bail according to Statistics Canada. For Indigenous people it’s five times more according to the Department of Justice. The Supreme Court of Canada has used these figures to show there’s a problem with bail, the opposite problem of what the motion talks about.

It gets worse. Human Rights Watch and the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls found that Indigenous women don’t report abuse because they’ll be arrested as well in “dual arrests,” and then they’ll be stuck in jail as they can’t get bail for being charged with violence when they are the victim.

The reason offender registries aren’t public is because of vigilante violence. We saw in rallies here open displays of a noose and calls for executions. This is being whipped up in part by at least one person who the CBC identified as someone openly in a white supremacist organization. The Niagara Police have had to talk to people about violating publication bans, so we already see they won’t stay within the law.

But it’s not just violence and mayhem against offenders. Local papers today had a letter from someone who has two of three names the same as one of the recently accused and is in fear of harm to himself and his business and, quote, “not to mention the emotional toll it takes on me and my family.” And that’s just from information in the news, even before making the registry wide open. But there is a way for the public to prevent crime without a public registry that I’ll go into in a bit.

There’s also misinformation about parole. Dr. Irwin Waller of the University of Ottawa did a study of over 400 men released from prison over two years and guess what he found? Those who were kept in prison for their full sentence were 56% more likely to re-offend than people let out early on parole. It sounds “tough” to not let people out early but has the opposite effect of what we want because parole comes with supports, monitoring, and restrictions. It’s one-sided to talk about those released on parole re-offending without looking at those *NOT* released on parole re-offending more. They are going to be released at some point.

Even if you lock *everyone* up for the rest of their life, which is ridiculous, it still doesn’t prevent the violence from happening in the first place. The uncle of the previous victim of the accused in Welland told CBC he had wanted a longer sentence but for treatment, not punishment. Why not get people the treatment before they commit crimes in the first place?

This *IS* political and ideological. “Tough” on crime measures are being pushed because they appeal to people’s fear and anger. But they don’t work. The science of how to reduce and prevent crime has been established for over 50 years – that’s longer than I’ve been alive, as old as the first Franco-Ontarion flag raising discussed earlier this meeting. It’s been shown to work in city after city. The US government has a whole website crimesolutions.gov with a list of what’s worked to reduce different types of crimes.

This happened because health officials were dealing with injuries from violence and thought of dealing with it the same way they deal with a disease. The answer isn’t crackdowns or public registries but early detection through community people trained to identify the early signs of violence and abuse (instead of a public registry) and then getting prevention. The Region recognized earlier that racism is a health issue. Crime and violence are best treated as public health and social issues too. The City should advocate for getting “smart” on crime because it works, not “tough” on crime because it sells, using debunked myths and misinformation.

Thank you."

Tough on crime sells; smart on crime works (letter to the editor, St. Catharines Standard)

https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/niagara-letters-sept-20-get-smart-not-tough-on-crime/article_3c7cd8ab-16b1-565e-b1c7-4f6fa5d8105e.html 

Opinion | Niagara letters Sept. 20: Get smart — not tough — on crime

Violent crime is a social and health problem, writes a reader.

Sept. 20, 2025

2 min read

Save

John Bacher writes that Jim Bradley’s recent illness could be bad for Niagara government.

Dreamstime

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Niagara Letter to the EditorNiagara Dailies

Tough on crime sells; smart on crime works

After a violent sexual assault on a toddler, people are calling for getting “tough” on crime: no bail, long sentences, more police, or worse.

This doesn’t work and is based on misinformation. What’s proven to work in the U.S. and U.K. is getting “smart” on violent crime by recognizing it’s a social and health problem.

Boston reduced its murder rate by 60-plus per cent with 10 per cent fewer police — that’s right: less murders with less cops. Glasgow was called the “murder capital of Europe” by World Health Organization but cut violent crime almost 40 per cent in less than 10 years by treating it as a health problem.

Getting rid of bail won’t work because a majority of Ontario inmates are effectively denied bail anyway, even though more than half are likely to be found innocent.

The uncle of the previous child victim of the accused in Welland told CBC he had wanted a longer sentence earlier but for treatment, not punishment. Why not do treatment before the crime even happens, like in Boston and Glasgow?

Elected officials from almost all parties are jumping on the “tough on crime” bandwagon because it sells.

If politicians and others actually want to reduce violent crime they should do what actually works. Get smart, not tough.

Saleh Waziruddin, St. Catharines

https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/news/niagara-region/public-and-open-with-their-hate-masked-white-nationalist-group-marches-at-popular-niagara-monument/article_e197d7cf-445b-5e9e-9bb5-36dd4986ac0e.html

‘Public and open with their hate’: Masked white nationalist group marches at popular Niagara monument

A University of Winnipeg professor says Second Sons Canada was testing the waters with its military-style rally at Queenston Heights, and that the choice do do so at Brock’s Monument was symbolic.

Updated Sept. 11, 2025 at 3:48 p.m.

Sept. 4, 2025

4 min read

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Members of the white nationalist group Second Sons Canada rally at Queenston Heights Park during the Labour Day weekend.

Jeremy MacKenzie/Facebook screenshot

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By Karena WalterReporter

One of Canada’s emerging white nationalist clubs held what is believed to be its first public rally and chose Brock’s Monument in Niagara over the long weekend to do it.

In posts to social media, dozens of men wearing white face coverings and matching shirts emblazoned with maple leafs marched military-style to the Queenston Heights heritage site in Niagara-on-the-Lake, chanting “Leafs fight back” as members of Second Sons Canada.

One video showed more than 50 men, many wearing sunglasses and hats to further conceal their identities in a manner echoing the outfits of the Patriot Front, one of the largest white nationalist groups in the United States, lined up at the monument chanting the group’s slogan, “All thy sons.”

The rally happened while the popular park, frequented by locals and tourists, was in use by members of the public, as onlookers can be seen in one video, including women with and without hijabs.

Members of the white nationalist group Second Sons Canada line up in Queenston Heights Park.

@postyonx/X screenshot

It was the first known public gathering of its kind by the group in Niagara, though a report by CBC’s visual investigations team in July into white nationalist “active clubs” found the group was present in the area and had been using a Welland gym to train.

Saleh Waziruddin of the Niagara Region Anti-Racism Association said members have noticed people linked with Diagolon, a far-right extremist group of which Second Sons is an offshoot, showing up to various events to disrupt them in the past, but the rally is a first.

“We knew they were there and they would show up, maybe in ones and twos,” Waziruddin said.

“But now we know, from even the earlier story of when they were organizing in a gym, that there’s many more of them willing to be public and open with their hate.”

Diagolon was founded during the COVID-19 pandemic as an anti-government and anti-institution movement by social media influencer Jeremy MacKenzie, who launched Second Sons Canada earlier this year and led the march at Queenston Heights.

Second Sons Canada’s first known sighting was reported by the Canadian Anti-Hate Network after the group gathered at a cenotaph for Canadian soldiers in Dartmouth, N.S., in March and took photos and videos.

Kawser Ahmed, a professor of political science at University of Winnipeg, said choosing the Niagara monument for Maj.-Gen. Sir Isaac Brock, who was killed in battle in the War of 1812, was symbolic.

He said the site has symbolism of British imperialism, settler nationalism and military defence.

“This is something very common in white supremacist groups throughout the Western world, Europe, the U.S., Australia and here,” he said.

“This is the symbolism they often pick up, because they think that these countries were founded by Anglo-Saxons and there’s no place for the immigrants to come here.”

A University of Winnipeg professor says a Second Sons Canada march toward Brock’s Monument was symbolic.

@Derekrants/X

One video showing scenes from the Niagara rally was posted on Second Sons Canada’s X site, formerly Twitter, with the statement, “Canadian Nationalism is inevitable. Remigration is coming.”

Niagara Parks, which owns and maintains Queenston Heights Park, said neither Niagara Parks nor Niagara Parks Police was aware of the event. A spokesperson for the agency said Second Sons Canada did not have a permit or permission from Niagara Parks or its police service to gather at the site.

“Upon review, our understanding is that the rally remained peaceful and no incidents were reported. We did not receive any complaints from the public,” a statement from Niagara Parks said.

“With that said, Niagara Parks and the Niagara Parks Police Service do not condone the actions of the Second Sons, nor the beliefs that the group represents.”

Uniformed officers for the Niagara Regional Police did respond to Brock’s Monument at about 7 p.m. Saturday for a reported nuisance call for service. Police said an initial investigation found a group of individuals had left the scene prior to NRP’s arrival. No criminal activity was reported and police said the identity of the group present was “unknown.”

While police are not certain the call was related to the rally, videos of the Second Sons Canada event at the monument were posted to X later that night and early Sunday morning.

Ahmed, whose research includes radicalism and violent extremism, said Second Sons Canada is “testing the waters” with its public display at the site.

He said the group is aware that in Canada, specifically, there are anti-hate laws and other statutory laws such as the online harms bill that are fairly strict. While Canada must balance charter rights, freedom of expression and freedom of association, the group saw after the pandemic’s so-called “Freedom Convoy” that many participants were tried in a court of law.

“They’re aware of the risks and one of the reasons why Diagolon has morphed into Second Sons Canada is because of this security threat. So this is why you are not seeing them publicly, let’s say, occupying some places in public space, but they’re coming out,” he said.

“They’re being more visible. That is the start. They want to test the waters and see what law enforcement agencies do.”

Second Sons Canada said on its website it is a Canadian men’s nationalist club “dedicated to health and fitness, camaraderie, activism and friendly support for those who share our values.”

A background check, fitness standard and club fees are required to become a member.

The site said members wear masks in public to protect themselves and their families because the western world has become “dramatically polarized, politicized and divided” and people who find themselves on the outside of “accepted social norms” can expect to be threatened and harassed.

The group posted on its X account Monday it had received “an avalanche of applications” over 48 hours.

The Second Sons Canada rally at Brock’s Monument in Queenston Heights Park on Saturday.

@JeremyMacKenzi/X screenshot

Waziruddin said people, even in countries beyond Canada, are blaming migrants for the housing and economic crisis and groups like this are taking advantage of that.

“Even the (Prime Minister Mark) Carney government’s policy of capping international students, temporary foreign workers, saying it’s because of this housing crisis, that gives some legitimacy to the idea that migrants are to blame for the economic and housing problems,” he said.

“And so that could get more people recruited to these kind of groups like Second Sons. You could have more people showing up and instead of showing up in ones and twos, they could up in tens and hundreds at different events to disrupt them.”

Waziruddin said people need to be aware these groups are growing so they can be stopped whenever they “go to the next level.”

“That’s their trajectory, that’s the direction they’re going. They’re saying it themselves, they’re at the cusp of getting into a higher level or an order of magnitude of what they can do.”

Karena Walter is a reporter with the St. Catharines Standard, primarily covering City Hall.