I've noticed this sort of thing carrying out on the real world too. Have never lost friends because of politics until this year, now it's five and counting. Also have seen people I know publicly call out their friends for "being racist" (not supporting BLM) on social media and literally cancelling them.
I can't speak on how this might relate to Canada, but I do know that human dignity is not a matter of debate. Human dignity is not a political view. Many people are growing increasingly frustrated with being treated as lesser than. The oft-quoted MLK Jr. insight regarding the "White Moderate" is certainly applicable to people who may not even be racist themselves. When you have persons choosing to demonize groups of people based upon superficial characteristics and utilizing rhetoric most notoriously remembered from the 1930s, and half of the forum decides to say that the person is a decent person with "bad political views", it's a reminder that yes, your human dignity is indeed negotiable. I don't think asking for empathy and self-education is too much to ask.
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” — Archbishop Desmond Tutu
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.”
