Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In this week’s Middle East Forum podcast, Lauri Regan speaks with Joe Adam George, a senior analyst on Islamist extremism and Canada lead researcher at MES, about how radical Islam has taken root in Canada — and why the threat poses serious implications for the United States and the wider West.
George explains how decades of Islamist organizing, permissive immigration policies, and government inaction have allowed extremist networks to embed themselves across Canadian society. He traces the evolution of radical Islam in Canada from early ideological movements to today’s ecosystem of terror financing, transnational crime, and youth radicalization, arguing that the problem long predates October 7 but has accelerated sharply since.
The discussion examines how Islamist groups exploit Canada’s political culture, vote-bank politics, and multiculturalism framework to influence government, education, and civil society. George details the role of foreign actors, including Qatar and Turkey, the spread of Muslim Brotherhood–aligned activism, and the growing impact of Islamist narratives within universities, school boards, and academic research.
A wide-ranging Q&A explores ISIS-linked radicalization, Canada’s disproportionate per-capita contribution of foreign fighters, the vulnerabilities created by the U.S.-Canada border, and the parallels between developments in Canada, the United States, Australia, and Western Europe. George also assesses the role of provincial governments, the academy, and grassroots activism — and outlines what Canadian citizens, parents, and communities can do to push back against an increasingly permissive environment.
In this week’s Middle East Forum podcast, Lauri Regan speaks with Joe Adam George, a senior analyst on Islamist extremism and Canada lead researcher at MES, about how radical Islam has taken root in Canada — and why the threat poses serious implications for the United States and the wider West.
George explains how decades of Islamist organizing, permissive immigration policies, and government inaction have allowed extremist networks to embed themselves across Canadian society. He traces the evolution of radical Islam in Canada from early ideological movements to today’s ecosystem of terror financing, transnational crime, and youth radicalization, arguing that the problem long predates October 7 but has accelerated sharply since.
The discussion examines how Islamist groups exploit Canada’s political culture, vote-bank politics, and multiculturalism framework to influence government, education, and civil society. George details the role of foreign actors, including Qatar and Turkey, the spread of Muslim Brotherhood–aligned activism, and the growing impact of Islamist narratives within universities, school boards, and academic research.
A wide-ranging Q&A explores ISIS-linked radicalization, Canada’s disproportionate per-capita contribution of foreign fighters, the vulnerabilities created by the U.S.-Canada border, and the parallels between developments in Canada, the United States, Australia, and Western Europe. George also assesses the role of provincial governments, the academy, and grassroots activism — and outlines what Canadian citizens, parents, and communities can do to push back against an increasingly permissive environment.
