Samuel Tanner

Most people consider far-right activism a negligible (at most) phenomenon in Canada. This book shows how extensive the alt-right is; how it manifests in Canadian society, how it recruits and finances its activities and explores why people join such groups. It is very well researched, including interviews, searching court records and assessing various social media platforms.

The book is written in an academic style. You will read fifty pages of methodology and definitions before getting to the show more heart of the questions at hand. The style is never sensationalized or emotional. Which means that the reader must think about the implications of what they are reading in order to assess how much Canadians need to worry about the alt right. Unlike in the U.S., such groups have not (yet) gained much political influence, but they have carried out various acts of violence that are troubling. This is an enlightening, thorough, academic investigation of the issues, including understanding the draw of alt right group membership, and how to police extremists.

The authors conclude that "We are at a crossroads of multiple vulnerabilities, where loss of public confidence in institutions, growing spheres of disinformation, economic and environmental insecurities, technological unpredictability, news media fragility, and identity politics, all of which are launching pads for the far right, could radically alter our political landscape in the next few years. show less