Political leaders from across the spectrum reacted with shock and horror over the weekend to a photo showing a group of masked men unfurling a banner in a Shawinigan park that read: “I remember a white Quebec.”

Premier Christine Fréchette condemned the apparent far-right rally “in the strongest terms.”

Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon called on all Quebecers to “vigorously denounce this racism.”

Quebec Liberal leader Charles Milliard slammed the “horrific gathering” and the “divisive message.”

The reactions reverberated across all parties and levels of government in a unanimous show of disgust and unity. This kind of hateful discourse should not be normalized and groups that espouse xenophobic ideologies should not feel comfortable coming out in broad daylight. It is important that political leaders of all stripes call it out. The general public, too.

Yet no one should be surprised that this has happened in an increasingly polarized world where disinformation and conspiracy theories are rife.

Extremism of various descriptions is on the rise and has been for some time in Quebec. Far right groups have been hiding in plain sight — even down at the local gym in open and diverse Montreal.

In April, a Quebec City man was arrested and charged with terrorism for promoting extremism for 764, a loose, online network........

© Montreal Gazette