| Front de libération du Québec | |
|---|---|
 Flag of the FLQ as seen at demonstrations in Montreal and the U.S. between 1968 and 1971[1] | |
| Leaders | |
| Dates of operation | 1963 (1963)–1971 (1971)[2] |
| Country | Canada |
| Motives | Creation of an independent and socialist Quebec |
| Active regions | Quebec |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Far-left |
| Notable attacks | Montreal Stock Exchange bombing,two kidnappings of government officials,and various others |
| Means of revenue | Bank robbery |
| Designated as a terrorist group by | Canada |
TheFront de libération du Québec[a] (FLQ) was aQuebec separatist militant group which aimed to establish an independent andsocialistQuebec.[3][4][5][6] Founded sometime in the early 1960s, the FLQ conducted a number of attacks between 1963 and 1970,[7][8] which totalled over 160 violent incidents and killed eight people and injured many more.[8][9] These attacks culminated with theMontreal Stock Exchange bombing in 1969 and theOctober Crisis in 1970, the latter beginning with the kidnapping of British Trade CommissionerJames Cross. In the subsequent negotiations,Quebec Labour MinisterPierre Laporte was kidnapped and murdered by a cell of the FLQ. Public outcry and a federal crackdown subsequently ended the crisis and resulted in a drastic loss of support for the FLQ, with a small number of FLQ members being granted refuge inCuba.[10][11]
FLQ members practisedpropaganda of the deed and issued declarations that called for a socialist insurrection against oppressors identified with Anglo-Saxon imperialism,[12] the overthrow of theQuebec government, theindependence of Quebec from Canada and the establishment of a French-speaking "workers' society" in Quebec. Up to 1970, it gained the support of many left-leaning students, teachers and academics, who engaged in public strikes in solidarity with the FLQ during the October Crisis. After the kidnapping of Cross, nearly 1,000 students atUniversité de Montréal signed a petition supporting the FLQ manifesto. This public support largely ended after the group announced they had killed Laporte, in a public communiqué that ended with an insult to the victim. TheKGB, which had established contact with the FLQ before 1970, later forged documents to portray them as aCIAfalse flag operation, a story that gained limited traction among academic sources before declassifiedSoviet archives revealed the ruse.[13][better source needed] By the early 1980s, most of the imprisoned FLQ members had been paroled or released.[14]
Members and sympathizers of the group were called "Felquistes" (French pronunciation:[fɛlˈkist]), a word coined from the French pronunciation of the letters FLQ. Some of the members were organized and trained byGeorges Schoeters, aBelgian revolutionary. FLQ members Normand Roy and Michel Lambert received guerrilla training from thePalestine Liberation Organization inJordan.[15] The FLQ was a loose association operating as aclandestine cell system. Various cells emerged over time: the Viger Cell founded by Robert Comeau, history professor at theUniversité du Québec à Montréal; the Dieppe Cell; theLouis Riel Cell; the Nelson Cell; the Saint-Denis Cell; theLiberation Cell; and theChénier Cell. The last two of these cells were involved in what became known as theOctober Crisis. From 1963 to 1970, the FLQ committed over 200 violent actions, including bombings, bank hold-ups, kidnappings, at least three killings by FLQ bombs and two killings by gunfire.[16][17][18] In 1966,Revolutionary Strategy and the Role of the Avant-Garde was prepared by the FLQ, outlining their long-term strategy of successive waves of robberies, violence, bombings, and kidnappings, culminating in revolution. The history of the FLQ is sometimes described as a series of "waves". The ideology was based on an extreme form ofQuebec nationalism that denounced Anglo exploitation and control of Quebec, combined with Marxist–Leninist ideas and arguments.[19]
The first formation of the FLQ was composed of members of theRassemblement pour l'Indépendance Nationale, some of whom wished for faster action. This group formed theRéseau de Résistance, or Resistance Network. This group eventually broke up, forming the FLQ. The group was recruited among various sources, eventually recruiting oneMario Bachand. The FLQ commenced their attacks on 7 March 1963. Some of their more notable crimes include bombing a railway (by which then–Prime Minister of CanadaJohn Diefenbaker had arranged to travel within the week).
By 1 June 1963, eight members of the FLQ were arrested in a surprise raid. In 1963, Gabriel Hudon andRaymond Villeneuve were sentenced to 12 years in prison after their bomb killed William V. O'Neill, a furnaceman at Montreal'sCanadian Army Recruiting Centre. Their targets also included English-owned businesses, banks,McGill University,Loyola College and theBlack Watch Armoury.[25]
A group of six individuals, two of whom were brothers of FLQ members arrested in 1963 (Robert Hudon and Jean Gagnon), commenced a series of crimes in Quebec over a period between 26 September 1963 and 9 April 1964. They called themselves theQuebec Liberation Army (L'Armée de Libération du Québec), and stole approximatelyCA$100,000 (CA$900,000 when adjusted for inflation as of 2023) in goods and money. Most of these individuals were also released by 1967.
A larger group of revolutionaries became known as the "Revolutionary Army of Quebec" (L'Armée Révolutionnaire du Québec). This group attempted to focus on training, particularly in St. Boniface. A botched gun warehouse robbery on 29 August 1964 resulted in two deaths, the company's vice-president Leslie McWilliams and gunsmith Alfred Pinisch. Other employees were lined up to be shot when Pinisch burst upon the scene and was killed. Cyr Delisle, Gilles Brunet, Marcel Tardif,François Schirm [fr] (aFrench Foreign Legion veteran), and Edmond Guenette, the five members arrested in connection with the deaths of MacWilliams and Pinisch,[26] workers at the store, were sentenced to life in prison. Other members of the FLQ were arrested as well.
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Charles Gagnon andPierre Vallières combined their "Popular Liberation Movement" with the FLQ in July 1965. This also combined several other pro-sovereignty groups. This may have led to a more socialist FLQ attitude. This new group robbed aNew Democratic Party office and a radio station for supplies, many of which were used to writeLa Cognée, the revolutionary paper published by the FLQ during the many years of activity. It translates to "The Hit (Knock)". The 4th wave saw the increasing use of explosives, the production styles of which were sometimes detailed inLa Cognée. A 15-year-old FLQ member, JeanCorbo, was killed by his own explosive, and a 64-year-old female office worker died during the FLQ bombing of the shoe factory Lagrenade.
By August 1966, theRoyal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had arrested many FLQ members. Gagnon and Vallières had fled to the United States, where they protested in front of theHeadquarters of the United Nations and were later arrested. It was during his incarceration that Vallières wrote his bookWhite Niggers of America, which compared the Québécois liberation struggle to that of Black people in the United States. In September 1967, the pair were extradited to Canada.
In 1968, after various riots within Quebec and in Europe, a new group of FLQ was formed. Within a year, this group of Felquistes had exploded 52 bombs. Rather thanLa Cognée, they wroteLa Victoire, orVictory. The various members of the group were arrested by 2 May 1969.
On 13 February 1969, the FLQ set off a powerfulbomb that ripped through the Montreal Stock Exchange causing massive destruction and seriously injuring 27 people. After more bombings, on 28 September 1969 they bombed the home of Montreal mayorJean Drapeau. After the bombing, police concluded that the bomb was placed in the toilet so inspectors could not find it.[27]
The year 1969 also saw many riots, including one againstMcGill University. The RCMP had intercepted intelligence relating to the planned riots, and prevented excessive damage. This failed riot led to Mario Bachand leaving Canada, and another group of FLQ forming, which would become responsible for the October Crisis. This group, formed of Paul Rose, Jacques Rose, Francis Simard, andNigel Hamer became known as the "South Shore Gang".
On 5 May 1969, FLQ members Jean-Pierre Charette and Alain Alard, who had previously fled from Canada to the U.S., hijacked aNational Airlines Boeing 727 in New York, and diverted it to Cuba.[28][29][30]
In 1969 the FLQ gave support to the "Taxi Liberation Front", which wasopposing the Anglo-owned Murray-Hill taxi company. The TLF was created by the "Popular Liberation Front", which was founded by Jacques Lanctôt and Marc Carbonneau. Jacques Lanctôt is credited with writing the FLQ Manifesto prior to theOctober Crisis.[31]
The South Shore Gang bought a house, which they named "The Little Free Quebec", and it quickly became a den of the FLQ. Jacques Lanctôt was charged in connection with a failed FLQ kidnapping attempt of an Israeli diplomat, and in 1970, while a member of the FLQ, likely took refuge at "The Little Free Quebec". These new FLQ members bought two other houses, prepared their plans, and stocked sufficient equipment for their upcoming actions.
The group was divided over what plans should be taken, but were reunited during the crisis itself.[32][33][34][35][36]
On 5 October 1970, members of the FLQ'sLiberation Cell kidnappedJames Richard Cross, theBritish Trade Commissioner, as he was leaving his home for work. Shortly afterwards, on 10 October, theChénier Cell kidnapped the Minister of Labour andVice-Premier of Quebec,Pierre Laporte. Laporte was coming from a meeting with others where they had discussed the demands of the FLQ.
In the following days, FLQ leaders held meetings to increase public support for the cause. Consequently, a general strike involving students, teachers and professors resulted in the closure of most French-language secondary and post-secondary academic institutions. On 15 October 1970, more than 3,000 students attended a protest rally in favour of the FLQ. Demonstrations of public support influenced subsequent government actions.
After holding Laporte captive for a week, members of the FLQ killed Laporte. On 17 October, callers to a radio station announced that Laporte had been murdered and divulged the location of a map which led to the discovery of his body.
The FLQ released a list of demands for Cross's release:
The FLQ also stipulated how the above demands would be carried out:
As part of itsManifesto, the FLQ stated: "In the coming year Bourassa (Quebec premierRobert Bourassa) will have to face reality; 100,000 revolutionary workers, armed and organized."
Canada's Prime MinisterPierre Elliot Trudeau, in his statement to the press during the October Crisis, admitted that the radicalism occurring in Quebec at this time had bred out of social unease due to imperfect legislation. "The government has pledged that it will introduce legislation which deals not only with the symptoms but with the social causes which often underlie or serve as an excuse for crime and disorder." (Pierre Trudeau, CBC interview). However, despite this admission, Trudeau declared in his statement to the press that in order to deal with the unruly radicals or "revolutionaries," the federal government would invoke theWar Measures Act, the first time the country used these powers during peacetime.
Invoking theWar Measures Act was a politically risky move for Trudeau because the Act overrode fundamental rights and privileges enumerated in the common law and in theCanadian Bill of Rights; therefore, there was a strong possibility that Trudeau might have lost popular support among Quebec voters. However, this did not occur.
In an impromptu interview with Tim Ralfe and Peter Reilly on the steps of Parliament, Pierre Trudeau, responding to a question of how extreme his implementation of theWar Measures Act would be, Trudeau answered, "Well,just watch me."[38] This line has become a part of Trudeau's legacy.
Early in December 1970, police discovered the location of the kidnappers holding James Cross. His release was negotiated and on 3 December 1970, five of the FLQ members were granted their request for safe passage toCuba by the Government of Canada after approval byFidel Castro.
As a result of the invocation of theWar Measures Act, civil liberties were suspended. By 29 December 1970, police had arrested 453 people with suspected ties to the FLQ. Some detainees were released within hours, while others were held for up to 21 days. Several persons who were detained were initially denied access to legal counsel. Of the 453 people who were arrested, 435 were eventually released without being charged.
On 13 December 1970, Pierre Vallières announced inLe Journal that he had terminated his association with the FLQ. As well, Vallières renounced the use of terrorism as a means of political reform and instead advocated the use of standard political action.
In late December, four weeks after the kidnappers of James Cross were found,Paul Rose and the kidnappers and murderers of Pierre Laporte were found hiding in a country farmhouse. They were tried and convicted for kidnapping and murder.
The events of October 1970 contributed to the loss of support for violent means to attain Quebec independence, and increased support for a political party, theParti Québécois, whichin 1976 received the most votes and elected a majority government.
In July 1980, police arrested and charged a sixth person in connection with the Cross kidnapping.Nigel Hamer, aBritish radical socialist and FLQ sympathizer, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 months in jail.
Police deterrence and flagging public support contributed to the decline of the FLQ. By 1971, the Montreal Police anti-terrorist unit had highly placed informants within the FLQ organization, a cell of seven members were arrested on 5 October, the one year anniversary of the Cross kidnapping,[39] and in December 1971 four FLQ members were arrested by a police force.[40]
The support and political capacity of the FLQ changed drastically during the 1970s. The FLQ immediately lost public support after the October crisis and the murder of Laporte.[11] The general public overwhelmingly supported the emergency powers and the presence of the military in Quebec.[41] Laporte's murder marked a crossroads in the political history of the FLQ. It helped sway public opinion towards more conventional forms of political participation and drove up popular support for theParti Québécois (PQ).[42]: 2
The rise of the PQ attracted both active and would-be participants away from the FLQ. In December 1971, Pierre Vallières emerged after three years in hiding to announce that he was joining the PQ. In justifying his decision he described the FLQ as a "shock group" whose continued activities would only play into the hands of the forces of repression against which they were no match. Those members of the FLQ who had fled began returning to Canada from late 1971 until 1982, and most received light sentences for their offences.[43]: 414
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According toChristopher Andrew's andVasili Mitrokhin's book based on theMitrokhin archive, theSoviet Union'sKGB likely established contact with the FLQ.[44]
The KGB was concerned that the FLQ's attacks could be linked to the Soviet Union. It designed a disinformation campaign and forged documents to portray the FLQ as a CIAfalse flag operation. A photocopy of the forged "CIA document" was "leaked" to theMontreal Star in September 1971. The operation was so successful that Canada's prime minister believed that the CIA had conducted operations in Canada. The story was still quoted in the 1990s, even among academic authors.[44]
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