NCJ Number
65372
Date Published
1970
Length
193 pages
Annotation
A HISTORY, 1963-1970, OF SEPARARIST TERRORISM IN QUEBEC REVEALS THAT ITS PERPETRATORS ARE FAILURES IN ORDINARY LIFE WITH STRONG CONFLICTS ABOUT AUTHORITY.
Abstract
PROTESTS BEGAN IN QUEBEC IN 1962 OVER JOB DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CITIZEN WITHOUT ENGLISH FLUENCY, AND IN 1963 THE FRONT DE LIBERATION QUEBECOIS (FLQ), A REVOLUTIONARY GROUP, WAS FORMED TO PROMOTE QUEBEC'S INDEPENDENCE FROM CANADA. THE FLQ WAS ORGINALLY LED BY GEORGES SCHOETERS, RAYMOND VILLENEUVE, AND GABRIEL HUDON. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THEM AND SUBSEQUENT LEADERS SUCH AS FRANCOIS SCHIRM, PIERRE VALLIERES, AND CHARLES GAGNON REVEAL THEY ALL HAVE AUTHORITY CONFLICTS, ARE ALIENATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES, FAIL IN ORDINARY JOBS AND MARRIAGE, AND LOVE THE EXCITEMENT OF VIOLENT, CLANDESTINE OPERATIONS. MOREOVER, SEVERAL OF THEM ARE NOT EVEN QUEBEC NATIVES. 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. IN THE LATER SIXTIES, THE FLQ ATTRACTED MANY TERRORISTS; ITS VIOLENCE INCREASED IN SEVERITY, 1964-1969, TO INCLUDE SABOTAGE AND STEALING DYNAMITE. BECAUSE MANY OF THE FOUNDING LEADERS WERE SOON IMPRISONED, PIERRE VALLIERES TOOK OVER THE GROUP IN 1966 AND BEGAN TRAINING THEM AS A REVOLUTIONARY ARMY. HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CAPTURED IN THE U.S., EXTRADITED, AND IMPRISONED ALTHOUGH A FEW CANADIAN UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS SYMPATHIZED WITH HIM. ALTHOUGH THE FLQ EVEN SOUGHT SUPPORT FROM EUROPEAN TERRORISTS, IT FINALLY DEGENERATED IN 1970.