Terrorism in Canada is about terrorist acts committed in Canada. Some terrorism is related to external events and nationalities. Some, such as the FLQ crisis in the 1960s, was related to internal tensions within the country.

Banned terrorist organizations [ edit ]

The Canadian Anti-Terrorism Act "provides measures for the Government of Canada to create a list of entities that: have knowingly carried out, attempted to carry out, participated in or facilitated a terrorist activity" or "knowingly acted on behalf of, at the direction of or in association with an entity that has knowingly carried out, attempted to carry out, participated in or facilitated a terrorist activity."[1] The Act specifically provides that "for the Governor in Council to establish by regulation a list on which, on the recommendation of the Minister of Public Safety, any entity may be placed."[1]

The government of Canada has banned more than 50 terrorist organizations.[2] These include Al Qaeda, the Armed Islamic Group, Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA), Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the International Sikh Youth Federation, the Palestine Liberation Front, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah,[3] Kahane Chai, the Taliban, and Mujahedin e-Khalq.[4]

In April 2006, the Canadian government designated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam as a terrorist group.[5] In December 2006, the Canadian government expanded the federal ban of Hezbollah from the purely militant wing to all 16 sub-organizations.[6]

International terrorism [ edit ]

Relating to Cuba [ edit ]

September 22, 1966 - A bazooka attack on the Cuban embassy in Ottawa, Ontario is made.

October 5, 1966 - Anti-Castro forces bomb the offices of the Cuban trade delegation in Ottawa.

May 31, 1967: A small bomb explodes at the Cuba Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal. The attack is attributed to Cuban Nationalist Action.

October 15, 1967: A bomb explodes at the offices of the native trade delegation in Montreal, Quebec.

May 29, 1969: A bomb is placed in the doorway of the Cuban consulate in Montreal, it fails to go off.

July 12, 1971: A small bomb goes off at the offices of the native trade delegation in Montreal, Quebec.

April 4, 1972: Cuban official Sergio Pérez Castillo is killed by an explosion at the Cuban consulate in Montreal, Quebec.

January 21, 1974: A bomb explodes at the Cuban embassy in Ottawa. It is attributed to Orlando Bosch.

September 22, 1976: An explosive device is thrown from a car at the Cuban consulate in Montreal.

January 14, 1980: A large explosion significantly damages the Cuban consulate in Montreal.

Relating to militant Sikh aspirations for Khalistan [ edit ]

Related to Armenian-Turkish relationships [ edit ]

Domestic terrorism [ edit ]

Anarchist [ edit ]

October 14, 1982 - The anarchist group the Squamish Five, who were Canadian version of Direct Action, bombs a Litton Industries factory north of Toronto, Ontario that is manufacturing guidance devices for American cruise missiles, ten are injured.

Environmental [ edit ]

October 2008 to July 2009 - Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Six natural gas pipelines owned by Encana Corp. were bombed after letters were sent to a local newspaper opposing the gas industry.[9]

Islamist extremism [ edit ]

1989 - Twenty-five-year-old Marc Lépine, armed with a rifle and a hunting knife, shot 28 people, killing 14 women, before committing suicide. This attack is known as École Polytechnique massacre or Montreal massacre. He claimed he was "fighting feminism" and calling the women "a bunch of feminists," he shot all nine women in the room, killing six. He then moved through corridors, the cafeteria, and another classroom, specifically targeting women to shoot.

Quebec nationalism [ edit ]

1963-1969 - Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) starts a bombing campaign at the average rate of one every ten days. Targets included English owned businesses, banks, McGill University and the homes of prominent English speakers.

April 21, 1963 FLQ bombing of Canadian Army Recruiting Centre in Montreal, killing Sgt. Wilfred V. O'Neil.

late 1960s - FLQ places a bomb in a mailbox next to the Canadian Tire store on Wellington St in Ottawa, Ontario.

February 13, 1969 - FLQ sets off a powerful bomb that rips through the Montreal Stock Exchange causing massive destruction and seriously injuring 27 people.

February 22, 1969 - FLQ terrorist bomb explodes at Liberal Party social club in Montreal, injuring two people.

June 24, 1970 - FLQ places a bomb in a window well of the National Defence Headquarters on Lisgar St in Ottawa, Ontario. The explosion killed a cleaning lady.

October 5, 1970 - British diplomat James Cross and (on October 10) Quebec Minister of Labour Pierre Laporte are kidnapped by the FLQ in Montreal. (The dead body of Pierre Laporte was discovered in the trunk of a car in Montreal, Quebec on October 17, 1970, and the murderers were arrested on December 26, 1970; Cross was released on December 3, 1970.)

September 20, 2000 - The Brigade d'autodéfense du français bombs the St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church in Montreal where an English fundraiser was to be held.

2001 - Quebec - The FLQ/The Brigade d'autodéfense du français firebombs three "Second Cup" locations in Montreal. They were targeted because of the company's use of its incorporated English name "Second Cup". Rhéal Mathieu, a previously convicted FLQ terrorist was convicted for all three bombings. Seven McDonald's restaurants were also firebombed.

Opposition to Quebec nationalism [ edit ]

May 8, 1984 - Soldier Denis Lortie, a federalist, enters National Assembly with the intent of killing René Lévesque and the deputies of the Parti Québécois. Due to a great amount of chance, he came in too early and killed 0 deputies, but still killed 3 other people and wounded 13. Unarmed employee René Jalbert negotiated with Lortie for several hours and convinced him to give up his gun and get arrested. Jalbert got decorated the next week.

September 4, 2012 - The night of the Quebec provincial elections, Richard Bain, an anglophone Quebecer attempted to assassinate Parti Québécois leader and Premier elect Pauline Marois at a victory gathering in Montreal. He also set fire to the Metropolis concert hall where the event was being held. A man was killed and another was injured in the terrorist act. It is said that Bain's ultimate goal was to kill Marois following the Parti Québécois victory. Bain was arrested shortly after the attack.[24] On August 23, 2016 Bain was found guilty of second-degree murder.[25] On November 18, 2016 Bain was sentenced to life imprisonment without eligibility for parole until he has served 20 years of that sentence.[26]

Far-right extremism [ edit ]

In 1983, Henry Morgentaler was attacked by a man wielding garden shears; the attack was blocked by feminist activist Judy Rebick, who was standing nearby. [30]

In 1992, Morgentaler's Toronto clinic was firebombed and sustained severe damage. The event occurred at night, so no one was injured, although a nearby bookstore was damaged. Appointments were switched to another clinic in Toronto and no abortions were prevented. [31]

On November 8, 1994, Vancouver doctor Garson Romalis was shot in the leg. [32]

On November 10, 1995, Dr. Hugh Short of Ancaster, Ontario was shot in the elbow. [32]

On November 11, 1997, Dr. Jack Fainman of Winnipeg was shot in the shoulder. [32]

On July 11, 2000, Dr. Romalis was stabbed by an unidentified assailant in the lobby of his clinic.[33]

Sons of Freedom [ edit ]

1920s - Arson and bombing by Freedomites (also called Svobodniki or the Sons of Freedom), targeted wood structures and government buildings such as schools to protest materialism, and government pressure to school Svobodnik children

1924 - Peter Verigin was killed, aged 65, in a still-unsolved Canadian Pacific Railway train explosion on October 29, 1924 on the Kettle Valley Railway (now known locally as the Columbia and Western Railway) line near Farron, between Castlegar and Grand Forks, which also killed his 17-year-old female companion Marie Strelaeff, member of the provincial legislature John McKie, P.J Campbell, Hakim Singh, Harry J. Bishop, W. J. Armstrong, and Neil E. Armstrong. The government initially (during investigation) had stated the crime was perpetrated by people within the Doukhobor community, while the Doukhobors suspected Canadian government involvement. To date, it is still unknown who was responsible for the bombing. [34]

1960s - Additional arson and bombings, mostly conducted in the nude, included the bombing of a railway bridge in Nelson, British Columbia in 1961.

Other [ edit ]

See also [ edit ]

References [ edit ]

Further reading [ edit ]