Former soldier exposes how Canadian white supremacist group recruits members

Second Sons Canada describes itself as a "men's nationalist club" dedicated to fitness and preserving Canada's heritage, but a former military member who attempted to join the group says he only learned about its true nature — which includes adoration for Hitler, neo-Nazis and hatred for Jews — when he met them in person.

Not only was the prospective member told to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that would ban him from revealing confidential information about the group, the recruit said he was also searched for recording devices and asked to say racial slurs as a test. 

"They advertise themselves as one thing," said the former CAF member, who CBC News is not naming due to concerns for his personal safety and legal retribution. "And then as soon as I met them … the sheets were pulled down and it was a whole other thing that was disgusting." 

He said much of the in-person meeting was about how Jewish people were evil and how Hitler's philosophy was "genius." 

A screenshot of the non-disclosure agreement sent to a prospective Second Sons member that he was expected to sign before joining. (CBC)

"They really, really wanted to know my knowledge of their version of racial ideology history and how it influences today's society," he said. "It seems like they really want to brainwash their new candidates into hatred. And that really put me off."

The former CAF member's account is the first glimpse CBC has gotten into the inner workings of the Second Sons in-person recruitment process.

Previous reporting by CBC's visual investigations team aligns with the source's information. The group itself maintains a carefully-curated image on its official social media platforms. Its leaders, meanwhile, have praised Hitler and the Nazi party, said they welcome neo-Nazis into their ranks and called for mass deportations at gunpoint and the execution of Canadian politicians while talking on personal podcasts and livestreams.

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"The organization is clearly anxious about individuals coming forward, speaking to the press or others about their activities," said Richard Moon, Law Foundation Chair at the College of Law, University of Saskatchewan focusing on freedom of expression.

"I think there's a real risk that an NDA like this might have a chilling effect on someone's speech, and particularly on their speaking to the media or the legal authorities about activity they may be concerned about as unlawful."

Jeremy MacKenzie giving a Nazi salute in a social media post. (JeremyMacKenzieCa/Telegram)

Since forming in 2024, Second Sons has expanded rapidly. There are chapters across the country.

The group is part of what's known as the "active club" movement, a decentralized assortment of male-focused groups promoting white supremacist ideals. The movement has grown globally in recent years, increasingly moving from online forums to real-world training groups and anti-immigration protests.

Second Sons even folded Quebec-based Frontenac AC — one of Canada's most prominent active clubs — into their group.

Earlier this year, a government report said the active club movement posed a risk of "extreme violence."

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Over the weekend, Second Sons held a demonstration at Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc reserve near a former residential school, also appearing on a Kamloops overpass with a banner that read "Got bones?" The demonstration was condemned by community members and Prime Minister Mark Carney.

"The cowardly act that took place at Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc yesterday, is abhorrent. It has no place in this country. My thoughts are with everyone who are shaken and hurt by this disgusting display of hate," Carney wrote in an X post Monday.

Second Sons gathered at an overpass in Kamloops as part of a demonstration at and near the Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc reserve on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (DerekRants/Rumble)

The RCMP say they are taking the matter seriously and "will continue to engage the group as part of our response and current ongoing investigation."

On Tuesday, Second Sons president Jeremy MacKenzie reshared a doctored image to Telegram showing Second Sons members holding the "Got bones?" banner in front of the Auschwitz death camp, where the Nazis killed nearly one million Jews.

White supremacist 'media organization'

The non-disclosure agreement says Second Sons is federally registered as a numbered company: 16130623 Canada Inc. 

Corporate documents found in the federal registry of businesses list Jeremy MacKenzie as director, along with Alex Vriend and Alex Cabana as shareholders.

MacKenzie is an Afghan war veteran and the founder and president of Second Sons and its predecessor, Diagolon. RCMP have described Diagolon as an "extremist, militia-like organization." Vriend is a long-time associate of MacKenzie and the vice-president of Second Sons. 

Corporate documents show Jeremy MacKenzie, Alex Vriend and Alex Cabana are named on documents for the numbered company 16130623. (CBC)

Cabana has not been as openly associated with Second Sons as MacKenzie and Vriend. He is an Afghan war veteran who was affiliated with Veterans 4 Freedom, an advocacy group that was formed by central figures in the self-described "freedom convoy" protests that overtook downtown Ottawa in the winter of 2022. 

It's not clear how much revenue the corporation has generated because required annual financial filings for the company in 2025 and 2026 are listed as "overdue." 

The Second Sons website notes that people trying to join the group must pay an application fee, with a $20 monthly commitment if they are accepted. In livestreams on the video-sharing platform Rumble, Vriend has claimed that the group's leadership don't get paid themselves and rely on income from subscriptions by fans.

A post in the Second Sons public Telegram channel says they are working to set up a "support shop" for the group.

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But experts say there are questions about whether the company, which describes itself in the NDA as a "media organization that creates, develops and publishes content," should be allowed to operate due to the nature of its activities.

"Calling for the execution of a politician is not a legitimate activity of any company, let alone a media company," said Richard LeBlanc, professor of governance, law and ethics at York University, who reviewed the documents that CBC located.