The érationduQuéfollowing is a timeline of the FLQ, from the founding of the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) in the early 1960s to the publishing of the enquiry commission reports in the 1980s.
1962
On October 31, the Comité de libération nationale is founded secretly by four RIN (Rassemblement pour l'Indépendance Nationale) militants: Jacques Désormeaux, Jacques Lucques, Robert Aubin and Philippe Bernard. In November, 24 RIN militants form the Réseau de Résistance (RR)
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. On February 23, a Molotov cocktail is thrown through the window of the English-language radio CKGM in Montreal. The RR claims responsibility. On March 8, three military barracks located in Montreal and Westmount are attacked with FLQ incendiary bombs during the night. On March 29, the statue of James Wolfe on the Plains of Abraham is unbolted, falls and breaks in several pieces. On April 1, three bombs explode: one at a Federal Tax building, a second at the Central Station located in Montreal, and a third on a railway belonging to the CN. The bomb set to explode on the CN railway is discovered before the passing of the train transporting Prime Minister of Canada John Diefenbaker. He exclaimed "Is this Ireland?" upon learning of the attempt. On April 6, 24 sticks of dynamite are laid at the foot of the Radio-Canada transmission tower on Mount Royal. A technical defect prevents the explosion. On April 12, in a joint operation of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Montreal police service, dozens of searches are done in residences of militants for the independence of Quebec belonging to various associations. 20 people are arrested and interrogated, including Raoul Roy, Édouard Cloutier, Jacques Lucques. The event was dubbed the "Razzia du Vendredi saint". On April 16, publishing of the first FLQ manifesto entitled "Message du FLQ à la Nation". (online) On April 19, the RIN and the ASIQ (of which several members were arrested on April 12) protest before the headquarters of the RCMP in Westmount. On April 20, at night, a bomb sets off against the RCMP headquarters in Westmount. On April 21, Wilfred O'Neil, night guard at the Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre in Montreal is killed in the explosion of a bomb claimed by the FLQ. On May 3, three bomb attacks are perpetrated: one bomb explodes at the building of Royal Canadian Legion Veterans at Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, another is found and disarmed at the central post office and another, not armed, is found at the headquarters of the Solbec Copper mining company. On May 7, the City of Montreal offers $10,000 CAD to whoever can provide information leading to the capture of FLQ members. On May 10, a dynamite charge explodes at night against the wall of the BlackWatch regiment building in Montreal. On May 13, a bomb explodes at the Technical Service Unit of the Canadian Air Force located in Mont-Royal. On May 16, an explosive device sets off near the reservoirs of the Golden Eagle refinery located at Pointe-aux-Trembles. On May 17, the FLQ places ten bombs in as many residential mailboxes of the town of Westmount. Each bomb is made of four dynamite sticks. Five of these ten bombs explode toward 3:00 AM. Walter Leja, Sergeant Major of the Canadian Army, is injured while trying to disarm one of the explosive devices. On May 19, the government of Quebec offers $50,000 to whoever will be able to provide information leading to the capture of FLQ members. The City of Montreal raises its reward from $10,000 to $60,000. On May 20, Victoria Day, 75 dynamite sticks explode against the wall of an arms room belonging to the 1st battalion of the Canadian Army's technical services in Montreal (nicknamed "Opération Chénier" by the FLQ, in honour of Jean-Olivier Chénier). On June 1: The eight main leaders of the FLQ gather at Denis Lamoureux's apartment to discuss the reorganization and expansion of their group. Is then planned the division of the movement into two sections: a political section, the FLQ, and a military section, the Armée de libération du Québec (ALQ). Jean-Jacques Lanciault, who participates to the discussion, is a delator for the police and wins the $60,000 award of the City of Montreal for his information. Thanks to Lanciault's information, the police forces will arrest 23 militants and dismantle a complete network of the FLQ. On June 16, 18 people associated to the FLQ are arrested.