A 2019 submission to a House of Commons public safety committee is drawing renewed attention after a federally funded Canadian advocacy group described a now-controversial U.S. organization as “esteemed,” a model, and a funder of its work.

During testimony before the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU), the Canadian Anti-Hate Network (CAHN) pointed to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) as both an inspiration and a template, praising the group in its submission to lawmakers.

At the time, CAHN framed the SPLC as a leading authority in tracking extremism and hate groups — language that now reads differently in light of recent developments.

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According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a federal grand jury has charged the SPLC with multiple counts, including wire fraud and false statements. Prosecutors allege the organization directed funds to individuals tied to extremist groups, including the Ku Klux Klan.

The SPLC has denied the allegations, stating that any such payments were part of informant or intelligence-gathering efforts aimed at monitoring extremist activity.

Still, the contrast between CAHN’s 2019 praise and the SPLC’s current legal troubles is raising questions about the judgment behind that endorsement, particularly given CAHN’s role in advising policymakers and shaping discussions around extremism in Canada.

CAHN did not merely reference the SPLC in passing. 

In its SECU submission, the Canadian group highlighted the American organization as a model worth emulating, underscoring its approach as one Canada should look to replicate.