In the turbulent 1930s, Canada faced a political undercurrent few remember today — the rise of homegrown fascist movements. While Hitler's shadow fell across Europe, small but vocal groups in Canada embraced his ideology, rallying in city streets, spreading propaganda, and testing the limits of the nation's democratic resolve.

In The Swastika and The Maple Leaf, historian Lita-Rose Betcherman uncovers this unsettling chapter of Canadian history. Drawing on rare archival materials, she traces the rise and fall of extremist leaders, the spread of antisemitic rhetoric, and the uneasy responses from politicians, the press, and ordinary citizens.

This is more than a story of the past — it is a reminder of how fragile democratic values can be, and how vigilance, civic courage, and public resistance shaped Canada's path during one of the world's darkest decades.

A lively, readable history ... A necessary reminder of how things were ... I highly recommend it - Mordecai Richler