There is a certain type of New Atheism that's essentially a continuation of White Man's Burden by other means. This is its exemplar.

I think you had it right when you said "also racist". This is the PQ sinking to its tribal roots and playing the race/culture card for all its worth, hoping to shore up its frightened, largely small-town base of support and meld it with an urban bourgeoisie uncomfortable with foreigners brown people being, well, foreign. The former are basically just scared of that they haven't really seen much of, outside of the local restaurant serving mets Chinois, but among the latter I suppose are some well-meaning Francophone's burden types as well.

But it's ugly and base and dangerous. René Levesque is probably spinning in his grave; but Jacques Parizeau is rubbing his arthritic hands and chortling.

Meanwhile, if I were living in the province, I think I'd be giving strong consideration to putting on a skull-cap or turban or large crucifix — or maybe all three at once.

Or maybe we should all just start wearing a hijab in solidarity until this racist filth is washed out of the body politic.