Mayor 'denounces hate' as debate around white lives matter sign intensifies

A controversial sign has temporarily moved to a neighbour’s lawn just outside of Goderich, but the message on it, ‘White Lives Matter,’ remains the same.

"Well, it's not a nice sign to see. It is not in the town, but it's still in the neighboring municipality, so people are either leaving town or coming to the cottage, and that's something that they're seeing on Highway 21. And, you know, it shouldn't be a reflection of our town, but unfortunately, it's being perceived as a reflection of our town," said Goderich Mayor Trevor Bazinet.

In early August, Gord Leaman erected a two-sided wooden sign, reading, "Screw Trudeau, Screw Singh, Capitalism not Socialism, White Lives Matter,” on his lawn, located along Highway 21 just north of Goderich.

For a couple weeks, he's moved it to his neighbours lawn, at his neighbours request. Leaman said he's had plenty of support for his billboard, but not from Goderich residents Matt Hoy and Patrick Corvyn.

"I would say that it's completely disrespectful for the community. I don't want to see this language on that sign. I don't want young people to see the language on the sign. I certainly don't want my grandchildren to see it. It's completely inappropriate," said Hoy.

In recent weeks, Corvyn said he found several stickers promoting the Great Lakes Active Club along Goderich's boardwalk. The Canadian Anti-Hate Network says the group is a white-only neo-Nazi workout group that allegedly held a meeting in Goderich earlier this summer.

An image of an alleged meeting of a white-only neo-Nazi group in Goderich in August 2024. (Source: Telegram/Canadian Anti-Hate Network)

Police are looking into the matter.

Corvyn started a petition that now has over 700 signatures calling for Huron County's elected leaders to publicly denounce neo-Nazism in all its forms.

Goderich's mayor says he denounces all acts of hatred and knows the stickers and sign along Highway 21 do not reflect his community's beliefs, a community that hosts Ramadan dinners and Pride festivals.

"The majority of the people in our town and in the County of Huron are in support of welcoming newcomers to our area, and that's the proper thing to do. We want to be welcoming. We want to be role models, good role models for our future generations to come," said Bazinet.

The Huron Chamber of Commerce made this comment about the sign, "While we fully support the right to free speech and recognize the importance of diverse political expression, we must also draw a firm line when speech crosses into hate, discrimination, or racism. The Chamber believes in creating a safe and respectful environment for everyone in our communities and there is no place for racism here."

At Bazinet's urging, Huron County council asked the Ministry of Transportation in August what, if anything, can be done to remove the sign, but he said the Ministry has yet to respond.

Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson said she too inquired about the sign.

"In tandem with the OPP, it was determined because of the Charter of Rights, Ontarians, Canadians have the right to express their opinions. And, the other reality check is that, through the OPP, we learned that the sign is located on private property," she said.

Stickers promoting an alleged neo-Nazi white-only group found along Goderich's boardwalk. (Source: Patrick Corvyn)

MP Ben Lobb did not return our request for comment.

For his part, the sign’s creator Gord Leaman said unless somehow he is ordered to take the sign down, he doesn't plan on voluntarily taking it down until Justin Trudeau is out of power, which doesn't sit well with Matt Hoy, amongst others.

"Just remove it. It doesn't need to be a big deal about it, it just needs to be removed. We don't need an apology. Everybody's entitled their own politics, but please remove the sign," said Hoy.

"I don't like engaging in this type of stuff. Right? Hate speech. I don't like in engaging with it, because what it's doing is it's providing exposure to the people that are providing this hate speech, whether I agree or disagree with it, or others disagree with it. If you disagree with that, we're still providing that exposure to certain people that are doing these inappropriate things," said Bazinet.

"We're proud to call Huron County home, and I encourage everyone to respect each other," said MPP Thompson.

Leaman said his sign represents his views alone, he has no affiliation with any neo-Nazi organization and has never even heard of the Great Lakes Active Club.

Leaman said the sign will return to his lawn after Thanksgiving. Goderich council will discuss a motion put forward by Patrick Corvyn calling for Goderich to "denounce Nazi and neo-Nazi ideologies in original and modern forms," at their next meeting.