Hidden in Plain Sight: Canada's History with the KKK

Salamat Ibrahim
Jun 29
5 min read

The “Ku Klux Klan,” or the “KKK,” is an organization practically synonymous with the American South, and a far-removed era. Yet, as division and extremist rhetoric regarding marginalized communities continues to permeate global modern-day politics, it’s essential to view events in history like these for what they are: warnings. But, to heed these warnings and truly learn from them, it is imperative to confront the subject itself in its entirety, lest we risk repetition of the tragedies that emerged from them.

The KKK

The Ku Klux Klan, otherwise referred to as the “KKK,” was—and continues to be, albeit to a lesser extent— a white supremacist group originally founded in Tennessee by former Confederate soldiers, following the American Civil War (MADEO, 2026). The group emerged in direct response to the abolition of slavery, and broader reforms introduced during the Reconstruction era which worked to facilitate the participation of freed Black Americans in broader social and political processes.

To many confederates, these policies effectively threatened the racial hierarchy they believed to be natural and essential to society. This hierarchy rested on the belief that White Americans were inherently superior, and therefore entitled to certain socioeconomic and political opportunities that those “subordinate” to them were not. The threatening of these beliefs by reconstructionist views led to extremist groups, like the KKK, emerging in an effort to preserve the hierarchy through acts of violence, primarily against African Americans, and white supporters. These campaigns varied in severity, including propaganda, burning of crosses, physical assault, and in the most extreme cases, lynching. These were conducted with the aim of instilling fear within African American communities, and quelling support in others (Ku Klux Klan - Wikipedia, 2022).

Through these efforts, the KKK’s ideology became so deeply embedded in broader American life, that Klan membership was often closely associated with public office throughout much of the American South. Prominent public leaders, such as Senator John Brown Gordon, have been alleged to have had close ties to the organization (MADEO, 2026). The organization was later outlawed and officially disbanded in 1871 by the United States government, however, underground activity continued, with the movement resurging in the 20th century, and ultimately spreading beyond the United States (CBC, 2020).

Newspaper clipping depicting two hooded Ku Klux Klan members posing with civic and law enforcement officials in Portland, Oregon, beneath a newspaper headline about the meeting, 1921. — Representatives of the Ku Klux Klan pictured alongside civic officials in Portland, Oregon, in 1921, Photo Obtained from: Wikipedia Commons

The KKK in Canada

To view the KKK as solely American would be ahistorical, as, despite being outlawed, the organization established a notable presence through the 20th century in multiple countries, including Canada. The fraternity was largely popularized by motion pictures such as The Birth of a Nation, which mythologized the involvement of the KKK during the Civil War. The film was released in both the US and Canada in 1915, with multiple screenings spanning from 1915 to 1920 in major cities across Canada. These screenings, coupled with the migration of past fraternity members into Canada in the early 1920s in search of new members to recruit—for an entry fee of $13— led to the establishment of multiple branches in Canadian communities (CBC, 2020).

The KKK's first chapters were established in Montréal and West Vancouver in 1921, before rapidly expanding into provinces such as Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, with their headquarters later being established in Toronto. Multiple chapters were formed in major cities and provinces, with their presence being most notable in Saskatchewan, where membership numbers reached 25,000 by the late 1920s, and 47,000 at its peak. Other major provinces, like Alberta and Ontario, typically had official membership numbers ranging from 5,000-8,000, with rallies typically drawing a greater number of participants (info@frams.ca, 2019, Benjamin, 2021).

The rapid establishment and growth of the KKK in Canada, however, was not due to chance, nor should it be viewed as the migration of racist and white supremacist ideology from the United States into Canada. Rather, the organization’s relative success in Canada was due to ideologies already deeply entrenched within Canadian society. These featured racial discrimination against Indigenous peoples, immigrants, Catholics and other minority groups, including Black Canadians. In the early 1900s for instance, prior to the official establishment of the KKK in Canada, the Edmonton Police Service had a “morality squad” tasked with policing “social deviants,” a task that resulted in the disproportionate targeting of Black Women (Mohamed, 2020).

The existence of such institutions demonstrates that racial discrimination was not new to Canada, but rather, it was a norm already embedded in the fabric of society, one the KKK was able to exploit and amplify. This ability was most evident in the way it tailored its rhetoric to local anxieties and prejudices. In Canada, the organization did not only target Black Canadians, but also Indigenous peoples, Catholics, and many other groups depending on the political climate of their communities.

Black-and-white photograph of hooded Ku Klux Klan members standing in a semicircle around a large burning cross during a nighttime ceremony in London, Ontario in 1925. — Cross burning in London, Ontario in 1925, Photo Obtained from: Wikipedia Commons

Edmonton’s Hidden History

While The Birth of a Nation popularized Klan ideology prior to its official establishment in Canada, newspapers became integral to sustaining the movement. The Liberator, a newspaper published in downtown Edmonton, was one of the most prominent Klan newspapers. As was typical to Canadian Klan rhetoric, it adapted its messaging to local concerns, with a significant portion of its content focusing particularly on anti-Catholic rhetoric, in addition to racial commentary.

This influence and rhetoric often extended beyond propaganda towards local politics. In 1931, during a municipal election, Alberta Klan leader, JJ Maloney openly campaigned against James Douglas who was frequently criticized by The Liberator for being too accommodating toward Catholics. Maloney publicly endorsed Daniel Knott, and following his victory, Klan members celebrated by burning crosses on Connors Hill. Additionally, while serving as mayor, Knott approved requests for Klan cross burnings twice during his service (Episode 4: The Klan Query, 2016, Mohamed, 2020).

Why Remembrance Matters

Despite the KKK’s documented influence within Edmonton’s political and public life, not much about this era in Canadian and Alberta history is acknowledged. The building that once housed The Liberator no longer exists, replaced by what is now the World Trade Centre. However, there exists no historical marker, or sign indicating the role the site once played in disseminating harmful Klan rhetoric (Episode 4: The Klan Query, 2016). In recent years, local historians, community members and journalists have worked to bring this forgotten history back into public knowledge. Among those advocating for proper acknowledgement of the site are journalist Rebecca Jade and historian Bashir Mohamed. Through the Let’s Find Out podcast, Jade brought the history of The Liberator back into public view, and continues to advocate for implementation of a marker to denote the land’s history. Similarly, Historian Bashir Mohamed has advocated for the acknowledgement of the site, as well as Edmonton—and Canada’s— history with the KKK.

These calls for acknowledgement highlight a broader issue within Canadian history: the tendency to view racism, white supremacy and similar rhetoric as problems imported from elsewhere. Issues from another country, another time, uncomfortable parts of our past better swept under rubble and newly established buildings. But a past left unacknowledged is one that can more easily become the present. Remembering is what allows us to recognize patterns and pitfalls, and it is required to ensure past tragedies are never repeated.