Ottawa (February 2, 2021) - The Royal Canadian Navy announced today that a Calgary-based sailor with neo-Nazi ties has been released from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), a decision welcomed by Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC), which had repeatedly called for the sailor to be held to account and for the military to combat hate and extremism.

In an official statement, Vice-Admiral Craig Baines stated that an Administrative Review has concluded, with the determination that Sailor 1st Class Boris Mihajlovic be released from the CAF.

The decision comes several months after FSWC demanded an immediate investigation into the Navy’s decision last year to reinstate Mihajlovic, despite his previous membership in the neo-Nazi website Iron March and the armed branch of the neo-Nazi group Blood and Honour, which is listed as a terrorist organization in Canada.

During meetings with Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan and the Navy’s former commander, FSWC expressed concern over the reinstatement of Mihajlovic and called for more action to be taken to ensure hate activity and extremism will not be tolerated in the military.

"We commend Minister Sajjan, the Navy and the Canadian Armed Forces for coming to the decision to release this sailor," said Jaime Kirzner-Roberts, Director of Policy at FSWC. "Military members who engage in hate activity bring shame upon our Armed Forces, our veterans and our country. There are real reasons for optimism that we have turned an important corner and that those who espouse hateful or extremist ideologies will find no sanctuary in our military."

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