The Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) was a militant Quebec separatist group. Founded in the early 1960s with the aim of establishing an independent and socialist Quebec through violent means, the FLQ was considered a terrorist group by the Canadian government.
What is the FLQ?
Thanks for contributing to The Canadian Encyclopedia. The Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) was a militant Quebec independence movement that used terrorism to try and achieve an independent and socialist Quebec.
What is the FLQ Manifesto?
The FLQ Manifesto was a key document of the group the Front de libération du Québec. On 8 October 1970, during the October Crisis, it was broadcast by CBC / Radio-Canada television as one of many demands required for the release of kidnapped British Trade Commissioner James Cross.
What is the FLQ Crisis?
The FLQ Crisis, the most serious terrorist attack on Canadian soil in the country’s history, was kicked off on October 5, 1970, when British Trade Commissioner James Cross was kidnapped from his home by members of the separatist Front de Liberation du Quebec.
What was the ideology of the FLQ?
The history of the FLQ is sometimes described as a series of "waves". The ideology was based on an extreme form of Quebec nationalism that denounced Anglo exploitation and control of Quebec, combined with Marxist–Leninist ideas and arguments.
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What ideology did the FLQ support?
THE FLQ BASED ITS DEFENSE OF CLANDESTINE VIOLENCE ON THE OVERRIDING NEED TO RID QUEBEC OF ENGLISH COLONIAL OPPRESSION AND TO STIR UP THE PEOPLE AGAINST CANADA. THEY DEVISED AN IDEOLOGY BASED ON MARXISM AND EXTREME NATIONALISM.
What demands did the FLQ make?
The demands they make are:The publication of the FLQ manifesto.The release of 23 "political prisoners"An airplane to take them to either Cuba or Algeria (both countries that they feel a strong connection to because of their struggle against colonialism and imperialism).The re-hiring of the "gars de Lapalme".More items...
Who started the FLQ?
1963. In February, founding of the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) by Gabriel Hudon, Georges Schoeters and Raymond Villeneuve, who had met through the RR.
When did the FLQ crisis happen?
October 5, 1970October Crisis / Start date
When did the FLQ bomb the Montreal Stock Exchange?
The Montreal Stock Exchange bombing was a domestic terrorist bombing of the Montreal Stock Exchange building in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on Thursday, February 13, 1969. Perpetrated by the separatist Front de libération du Québec (FLQ), the bombing happened some 40 minutes before the end of trading, injuring 27 people.
How did the War Measures Act affect Canada?
The extreme security measures permitted by the Defence of Canada Regulations included the waiving of habeas corpus and the right to trial, internment, bans on political and religious groups, restrictions of free speech including the banning of certain publications, and the confiscation of property.
Why does Quebec want to separate from Canada?
Quebec sovereignists believe that with such a sovereign state, the Quebec nation, will be better equipped to promote its own economic, social, ecological and cultural development. Quebec's sovereignist movement is based on Quebec nationalism.
When was the War Measures Act invoked?
The federal government passed the War Measures Act at the start of the First World War. The Act was in force from 4 August 1914 to 10 January 1920. It gave sweeping powers to Cabinet.
Why did nationalism grow in Quebec?
Quebec nationalism for the Francophones was on the rise at this time not only within the province but on a global scale as well. Quebec nationalism in the 1960s stemmed from the ideology of decolonization; this new type of nationalism was based on ideas happening on a global scale.
What did Pierre Trudeau do for Canada?
Trudeau's foreign policy included making Canada more independent; he patriated the Constitution and established the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, actions that achieved full Canadian sovereignty.
What is FLQ in Montreal?
The Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) was a militant Quebec separatist group. Founded in the early 1960s with the aim of establishing an independent and socialist Quebec through violent means, the FLQ was considered a terrorist group by the Canadian government.
How old is Justin Trudeau?
50 years (December 25, 1971)Justin Trudeau / Age
What did Pierre Laporte do?
Pierre Laporte (25 February 1921 – 17 October 1970) was a Canadian lawyer, journalist and politician. He was deputy premier of the province of Quebec when he was kidnapped and murdered by members of the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) during the October Crisis.
Who kidnapped James Cross?
Front de libération du Québec (FLQ)While posted in Canada, Cross was kidnapped by members of the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) during the October Crisis of October 1970. He was ultimately released almost two months later, and subsequently returned to the United Kingdom.
What is Quebec's Bill 101?
Bill 101 stipulates that French must be the language of legislation and the courts, administration, work, and business as well as education.
What is FLQ in Montreal?
The Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) was a militant Quebec separatist group. Founded in the early 1960s with the aim of establishing an independent and socialist Quebec through violent means, the FLQ was considered a terrorist group by the Canadian government.
Who founded the FLQ?
Founding of the FLQ. The FLQ is founded by two Quebecers, Raymond Villeneuve and Gabriel Hudon, and a Belgian, Georges Schoeters, who had fought with the resistance during the Second World War. Their thinking — and their membership — is shaped by the more radical elements of other independence movements in Quebec.
Who was the employee of the FLQ?
Another employee, Alfred Pinisch, is mistaken for a robber and killed by police. July 28, 1965.
How many FLQ members are in jail?
Four FLQ Members Plead Guilty. Gabriel Hudon, Raymond Villeneuve, Jacques Giroux and Yves Labonté, four of the 18 FLQ members who were arrested by 12 June, plead guilty to manslaughter in the death of security guard Wilfrid O’Neil. Their sentences range from 6 to 12 years in prison.
How much was the reward for information on the FLQ?
The City of Montreal announces a $10,000 reward for information on the FLQ. The next day, the Quebec government announces a $50,000 reward. June 12, 1963. 18 FLQ Members Arrested after Military Faction Formed.
When was the FLQ manifesto read?
October 08, 1970. Manifesto Read on Radio-Canada. The FLQ manifesto is read in its entirety on television by Radio-Canada anchor Gaétan Montreuil. Parti Québécois leader René Lévesque publishes a newspaper article imploring the FLQ not to inflict violence on Cross or anyone else.
When was the Parti Québécois founded?
October 13, 1968. Parti Québécois Founded. The Parti Québécois (PQ) is established through the merger of the Mouvement souveraineté-association (MSA), led by René Lévesque, and the Ralliement national (RN), led by Gilles Grégoire.
When did the FLQ crisis happen?
The FLQ Crisis, the most serious terrorist attack on Canadian soil in the country’s history, was kicked off on October 5, 1970, when British Trade Commissioner James Cross was kidnapped from his home by members of the separatist Front de Liberation du Quebec.
Did the Canadian army monitor FLQ?
Even though the Canadian Armed Forces had been monitoring FLQ activities since the mid-1960s, their role in anti-FLQ terrorist operations was limited . Apart from one young soldier who infiltrated several FLQ cells, anti-terrorism operations were left in the hands of the police.
When did the Front de libération du Québec start?
In 1963, some thirty individuals detached themselves from the small group of graffiti supporters, convinced that the independence of Quebec could not be obtained without violence. Such was the birth of the Front de libération du Québec ( FLQ ).
Who were the two people killed in the Neo-FLQ?
Pierre Vallières and Charles Gagnon, the two presumed leaders of the Neo-FLQ, were accused of the murder of Thérèse Fortin, a receptionist at a shoe company, and the death of young Jean Corbo, a member of the FLQ. Both victims died as a result of bomb explosions.
What was graffiti in Quebec?
Graffiti, a New Way to Express One's Convictions. At the onset of the 1960s, the nationalist sensibility of a goodly portion of the population in Quebec was on a hair-trigger.
Founding of The FLQ
- The FLQ was founded in March 1963 by two Quebecers, Raymond Villeneuve and Gabriel Hudon, and a Belgian, Georges Schoeters, who had fought with the resistance during the Second World War. Quebec was undergoing a period of profound political, social and cultural change at that ti…
The Beginnings of Violence
- In April and May 1963, FLQ terrorists placed bombs in mailboxes outside three federal armories and in Westmount, a wealthy upper-middle-class anglophone area of Montreal. Wilfrid O’Neil, a nighttime security guard at a Canadian Armed Forces recruiting centre on Sherbrooke St. West in Montreal, was killed when a bomb exploded at the centre. The FLQ claimed responsibility. Serge…
The October Crisis
- In the fall of 1969, the remaining FLQ movement split into two distinct Montreal-based cells. The South Shore gang, which became the Chénier cell, was led by Jacques Rose; other members were his brother Paul Rose, Bernard Lortie and Francis Simard. The Liberation cell was led by Jacques Lanctôt; other members were his sister Louise Lanctôt and her husband, Jacques Cossette-Trud…
Aftermath of The October Crisis
- Paul and Jacques Rose and Francis Simard were arrested on a farm southeast of Montreal on 28 December. They and Bernard Lortie were charged with the kidnapping and murder of Pierre Laporteon 5 January 1971. Paul Rose was sentenced to life imprisonment for kidnapping and murder; Francis Simard was sentenced to life for murder; Bernard Lortie was sentenced to 20 ye…
in Popular Culture
- The National Film Board released two acclaimed documentaries about the October Crisis in 1973 — Action: The October Crisis of 1970 and Reaction: A Portrait of a Society in Crisis — both directed by Robin Spry. Michel Brault became the only Canadian ever to win the Best Director prize at the Cannes Film Festival with Les Ordres (1974). Based on the experiences of 50 people who …
Overview
The Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) was a militant Quebec separatist group. Founded in the early 1960s with the aim of establishing an independent and socialist Quebec through violent means, the FLQ was considered a terrorist group by the Canadian government. It conducted a number of attacks between 1963 and 1970, which totaled over 160 violent incidents and killed eight peopl…
History
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 by Georges Schoeters, a Belgian revolutionary. FLQ members Normand Roy and Michel Lambert received guerrilla training from the Palestine Liberation Organization in Jordan. The FLQ was a loose association operating as a clandestine cell system. Various cells emerged …
First wave
The first formation of the FLQ was composed of members of the Rassemblement pour l'Indépendance Nationale, some of whom wished for faster action. This group formed the Réseau de Résistance, or Resistance Network. This group eventually broke up, forming the FLQ. The group was recruited among various sources, eventually recruiting one Mario Bachand. The FLQ commenced their attacks on 7 March 1963. Some of their more notable crimes include bombin…
Second wave
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 the "Quebec Liberation Army" (L'Armée de Libération du Québec), and stole approximately CA$100,000 (CA$837,332.52 when adjusted for inflation as of June 2020) in goods and money. Most of these individuals were also released …
Third wave
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 robbery on 29 August 1964 resulted in two deaths. Cyr Delisle, Gilles Brunet, Marcel Tardif, François Schirm (a French Foreign Legion veteran), and Edmond Guenette, the five members arrested in connection with the deaths of Leslie MacWilliams and Alfred Pinisch, …
Fourth wave
Charles Gagnon and Pierre 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 a New Democratic Party office and a radio station for supplies, many of which were used to write La Cognée, the revolutionary paper published by the FLQ during the many years of activity. It translates to "The Hit (Knock)". The 4th wave saw th…
Attacks
On 13 February 1969, the Front de libération du Québec set off a powerful bomb that ripped through the Montreal Stock Exchange causing massive destruction and seriously injuring 27 people. After another series of bombings, on 28 September 1969, they bombed the home of Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau. After the bombing, police concluded that the bomb was placed in the toilet so inspectors could not find it.
October Crisis
On 5 October 1970, members of the FLQ's Liberation Cell kidnapped James Richard Cross, the British Trade Commissioner, as he was leaving his home for work. Shortly afterwards, on 10 October, the Chénier Cell kidnapped the Minister of Labour and Vice-Premier of Quebec, Pierre Laporte. Laporte was coming from a meeting with others where they had discussed the demands of the FLQ.