QC militias/paramilitary groups (merged)

[hugh19]

But paramedics are so cute in their BLUE shirts. hehehehehe

 

[Dennis Ruhl]

Many historians would argue that the notion of Canada being defended by the militia is more myth then fact.

That would be Granatstein.  He is, of course, wrong.  I suspect that the first war fought with primarily regular army soldiers is the current one.  The rest were fought by militia or newly recruited soldiers.

 

[Edward Campbell]

That would be Granatstein.  He is, of course, wrong.  I suspect that the first war fought with primarily regular army soldiers is the current one.  The rest were fought by militia or newly recruited soldiers.

No, he's right, actually. The militia myth is just that. Neither the First nor Second World Wars had much militia content beyond the initial mobilization of the 1st Canadian Division. Once 1st Div was in England, in 1940-42, a massive 'weeding out' of old, overweight, under-qualified militiamen was undertaken. The RCAF and RCN relied even less on their 'reserves.'

You are right that 'newly recruited' people - often referred to as "duration of hostilities only" people, because of their term of enlistment - fought most of our biggest wars.

The militia did fight the Riel Rebellion (or whatever we call it now).

 

[aesop081]

The militia did fight the Riel Rebellion (or whatever we call it now).

The "Reil alternative dispute resolution" ?

 

[Bass ackwards]

I wonder who it is they're expecting to have to defend Quebec from...?

(maybe I should reread "Killing Ground" by Bruce Powe...)

 

[dogger1936]

I wonder who it is they're expecting to have to defend Quebec from...?

(maybe I should reread "Killing Ground" by Bruce Powe...)

Le Chein salle of course.

As far as I'm concerned after you get over the humour of how  they look and thir numbers....we arrested and charged a group of muslim men for doing this kinda thing a while back didnt we? Why have I not heard of these guy's arrests yet? Or are we afraid to offend the now country of Quebec?

 

[Michael OLeary]

That would be Granatstein.  He is, of course, wrong.  I suspect that the first war fought with primarily regular army soldiers is the current one.  The rest were fought by militia or newly recruited soldiers.

Haven't we done this one before?

The militia won all the wars, the Army Reserves are duct tape for the regular army.

Responses can be found here.

 

[rnkelly]

Le Chein salle of course.

As far as I'm concerned after you get over the humour of how  they look and thir numbers....we arrested and charged a group of muslim men for doing this kinda thing a while back didnt we? Why have I not heard of these guy's arrests yet? Or are we afraid to offend the now country of Quebec?

You're hitting the nail on the head, it seems we look the other way so that we don't offend Quebec's right to be a nation. 

I was at the Bell center a few weeks ago for a Championship Boxing Card, the main event had three flags displayed; Romanian, American and Quebec.  The fight was televised in the US, they must of been wondering why we don't even include our own flag, I know I was.

 

[a_majoor]

The selective enforcement of laws to appease "political correctness" is a far greater danger to the body politic than the actual bunch of Walt's on display here.

It should not matter who is forming a paramilitary group or where it is formed (or for what alleged purpose); if the law is to have any meaning, than all such groups should be sanctioned and punished to the full extent of the law. Islamofascists, native "Warriors", Brownshirts in Universities who attack groups and individuals exercising free speech or "Militias" who operate with impunity tell others that the law is selectively enforced and reduce the respect for other laws and regulations.

It also tell the police and the courts that difficut cases should be avoided, while "easy" targets are to be prosecuted, allowing real criminal activity to grow and spread (and gain power), and eventually compelling citizens to take the law into their own hands for protection. This is how civil society collapses.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Some of the latest in a catch-up article by the Toronto Star:

There’s no sign, per se, but there is a shirt in the window silkscreened with the image of militant Quebec separatist Pierre Falardeau and the words: “Now it’s your turn to be scared.”

Inside, past a rack of nationalist books, including one called Quebec Bashing, which can be found alongside one on Mao Zedong, there is a wall of white, winter balaclavas and camouflage gas masks, another wall of boots and, to the right, a counter behind which hang realistic-looking paintball rifles.

They hope to soon have a permit to sell real guns.

This is the new recruitment centre for the Milice Patriotique Québécoise, a shadowy separatist militia that, after nearly a decade of existence, is only now coming into the light.

The centre opened its doors at the end of November in a working class neighbourhood of east Montreal.

The founder and leader, “Major” Serge Provost, is not out to make friends with this venture. Indeed, even other separatists are uncomfortable with him, mindful of Quebec’s painful history with the murderous Front de libération du Québec.

But Provost says his group operates in a defensive mode only, “to protect the people of Quebec.”

“The only entity able to protect Quebecers now is the Canadian army,” says Provost, 42. “So, the only ones who can help us are our adversaries.”

Never mind the army is made up of thousands of Quebecers as well. Provost retorts that “most” of them complain about bashing in the ranks too.

The idea for the centre is to both attract new recruits to the militia — he says “five or six” have come in during the month it’s been open — and to provide jobs for separatists who’ve lost theirs because of their political beliefs.

Asked for evidence of that happening, Provost says he lost his own job as a car salesman after the RCMP apparently informed his “federalist” boss about the militia ....

 

[George Wallace]

;D

There are about 200 members, he estimates, with 75 in leadership positions.

Looks like more chefs than potwallopers. 

 

[PuckChaser]

Are we going to have to apologize to these yahoos if we declare them a possible insurgent group in a draft manual??? I don't seem them as a threat at all. If they start blowing things up, I bet they'll get one mission off before a whole lot of "hard knocks" come from Dwyer Hill and the RCMP and they all end up in jail.

 

[Journeyman]

There are about 200 members, he estimates, with 75 in leadership positions.

Looks like more chefs than potwallopers.

But you ignore their hardcore underground -- the 1,744 Facebook friends. 

If they start blowing things up....

Why do I keep picturing a 'paintball bomber'?  ;D

I guess we can be thankful that all of their new recruits have to submit a "mental stability questionnaire"....otherwise they might be complete wack jobs. 

 

[dapaterson]

On the other hand, they probably enforce an enrolment physical fitness standard, so they're ahead of the Regular Force...

 

[Pusser]

I guess we can be thankful that all of their new recruits have to submit a "mental stability questionnaire"....otherwise they might be complete wack jobs. 

Yes, but from which side of the stability spectrum do they accept applicants?  Perhaps, only the true nutters need apply... :nod:

 

[GK .Dundas]

I have no idea why but when I read about this group why does the word or rather the name Walt pop up?? :

 

[Pusser]

The name comes from "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," a short story by James Thurber (and later made into a movie starring Danny Kaye).  It's about a mild mannered man who has vivid daydreams of heroic deeds.  In military circles, the term has come to mean someone who makes up fantastic stories and represents himself as something he is not.

 

[a_majoor]

Looks like more chefs than potwallopers. But you ignore their hardcore underground -- the 1,744 Facebook friends. 

That ratio is actually frightening. Remember at the hight of the "Troubles" in Northern Ireland the PIRA had only a few hundred actual "shooters" to pull the trigger or make and plant bombs, but thousands of active supporters who would open their homes, perform surveillance, lookout and other "support" activites and tens of thousands of passive supporters who said or did nothing to stop the PIRA or assist the police and military forces.

Differential law enforcement will only encourage more passive and active supporters (since apparently nothing is wrong with these groups, and there is no danger or sanction in being associated with them), building networks which can be exploited by people with blood in their eye.

 

[The Bread Guy]

That ratio is actually frightening. Remember at the hight of the "Troubles" in Northern Ireland the PIRA had only a few hundred actual "shooters" to pull the trigger or make and plant bombs, but thousands of active supporters who would open their homes, perform surveillance, lookout and other "support" activites and tens of thousands of passive supporters who said or did nothing to stop the PIRA or assist the police and military forces.

Differential law enforcement will only encourage more passive and active supporters (since apparently nothing is wrong with these groups, and there is no danger or sanction in being associated with them), building networks which can be exploited by people with blood in their eye.

And, as in other parts of the world, it only takes (frighteningly) few ultra-extremists wanting to make a "public point" if they see the rest of the group as not being extreme enough.

 

[Old Sweat]

I tend to think that this group is a distraction from the real threat to peace and security.  Just how and why they are going to be able to defend against what threat is not very clear to me. As I recall the FLQ, they were more of the left wing radical genre who drew much of their inspiration from the various "armies of national liberation" that were active in the first and third worlds. Their aim was to impose a left wing regime on an independent Quebec. What particular ideology does this group embrace other than defending a separate or maybe not separate Quebec against an unnamed foe?

This organization is probably already compromised by the security services. What I would worry about are those who plan direct action - terrorism or whatever one wishes to call it - against the state. The silent groups could be of any 'ism' but if they are actively planning like the Toronto 18 or have resorted to attacks like whoever is bombing the pipeline in BC, then they are a real threat and must be apprehended and turned over to the justice system.

As for the mass of sympathizers, having odd ball political views is not a crime. Demonstrating, protesting and even rioting tends to be tolerated by most people, as long as it does not inconvenience them.