Canada Arrests Four Attempting to Conquer Québec 

Four Canadian men, including two active members of the Canadian Armed Forces, were arrested this week and charged with plotting to seize land in Québec, the sole French-speaking province of the country, the Washington Post reported. 

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said Tuesday that three of the suspects have been charged with taking action to “facilitate terrorist activity” and planned “to (an) create anti-government militia.” 

The RCMP added that the trio intended to “forcibly take possession of land in the Québec City area,” and took part in military-style training to further their goal. 

A fourth individual was charged with possessing explosives and firearms, some of which are illegal in Canada, the BBC said. 

One of the suspects opened an Instagram account intending to recruit new members, officials said. 

Searches conducted in January 2024 in the Québec City area also led to the seizure of an extensive arsenal of weapons, including 16 explosives, 83 firearms with accessories, 11,000 rounds of ammunition, four pairs of night-vision goggles, and other military equipment, the statement said. 

The four men, all under 30, are in custody and appeared virtually in a Québec City court on Tuesday.  

Analyst Jon Lewis told the Washington Post the incident reflects the pattern of anti-government extremism that is present “across most of the liberal democratic world.” The phenomenon often involves young men with military links who organize in small groups, which are harder for authorities to track compared with traditional extremist organizations. 

This specific case underscores growing pressure on the Canadian military to confront extremism within its own ranks, analysts added. 

A 2022 report by a military advisory panel showed an increasing number of army personnel with links to extremist organizations.