The Winnipeg Jewish community is responding to the arrest of a local man charged with hate-related offences against Jews, Muslims and 2SLGBTQ+ community.
On May 21, the Manitoba RCMP announced that Donovan MacKenzie Ballingall, 23, was arrested on April 29 after an investigation linked him to a number of online social media accounts where hateful content was posted.
Ballingall has been charged with four counts of wilfully promoting hatred, an offence under section 319(2) of the Criminal Code.
He is currently in custody at the Winnipeg Detention Centre.
In response to the arrest, Gustavo Zentner, vice-president for Manitoba and Saskatchewan for the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), said he appreciates the RCMP “for handling this case with the seriousness it warrants.”
CIJA and the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg will continue to liaise with the RCMP and law enforcement to monitor the situation and ensure the concerns of the community are heard and addressed, Zentner added.
In a message to the Winnipeg Jewish community, Jeff Lieberman, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, noted this is the first time such charges have been laid in the province.
He went on to commend the RCMP for their “swift and serious response to this matter” and for “laying these significant charges.”
For Lieberman, this is “the latest development in a troubling wave of hate that has surged over the past 18 months.”
No additional details about the offences Ballingall is accused of committing were provided by the RCMP, including whether he acted alone or as part of a group.
The charges against Ballingall come after the arrest earlier this year of Nevin Thunder Young, 19, who was charged with two counts of commission of an offence for a terrorist group, and single counts of participation in the activity of a terrorist group and facilitating terrorist activity.
The charges are in addition to 26 counts of mischief under $5,000 related to antisemitic graffiti in Charleswood from Sept. 28 to Dec. 31, 2024.
Young was linked to an international violent extremist group known as M.K.Y., according to police.
In a related announcement, the province of Manitoba said on May 22 that it will partner with CIJA and the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg to offer training for crown attorneys in prosecuting hate crimes.
The training, which will cost $95,000 and will be funded by the federal and provincial governments, is part of a national effort to address racism, discrimination and violence against marginalized groups.
“Hate crimes have devastating impacts on victims and communities, and prosecuting these cases can be complex,” Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said in a press release, adding the training aligns with the Manitoba government’s ongoing commitment to tackle hate crimes.
The specialized training in the province is similar to what CIJA has done in other provinces, Zentner said, adding this is the first time this training will be offered in Manitoba.
Training can help crown attorneys “decipher and understand phrases and images that meet the legal requirements for hate crimes,” he said.
It will also give them a deeper understanding “of how hate crimes impact victims and their communities.”
The training is part of Canada’s national action plan to combat hate, which was announced last year.
