Reflections On The Development Of Armed Struggle In Canada

REFLECTIONS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARMED STRUGGLE I N CANADA

The q u a l i t y of the response to the a r t i c l e , " J u l i e Rats Out", i n Re s i s t a n c e no. 10, and the recen t d i s c u s s i o n surrounding the l e t t e r to Open Road, i n d i c a t e the degree to which we, as a movement, have not addressed even the most b a s i c i s s u e s r a i s e d by the a c t i o n s of D i r e c t Action and the Wimmin's F i r e Brigade, or the subsequent a r r e s t and t r i a l s of the Vancouver 5.

I t has been our tendancy to t r e a t t h i s example of armed r e s i s t a n c e w i t h i n the boundaries of the Canadian S t a t e as i f i t were an i s o l a t ­ed, unprecedented, and wholly a h i s t o r i c a l event. A f t e r a l l , with the exception of the FLQ i n Quebec between 63 and 70, Canada has no mod­ern experience with homegrown armed r e s i s t a n c e - i n f a c t , very l i t t l e h i s t o r y of m i l i t a n t r e s i s t a n c e of any s t r i p e . I t i s our weakness t h a t we f a i l to recognize t h a t i n t h i s way Canada i s not r e p r e s e n t a ­t i v e of West European s o c i e t i e s , but i s , i n f a c t , unique. V i r t u a l l y every other West European s o c i e t y has developed and s u s t a i n e d an armed movement s i n c e the e a r l y 70s. I f we are to understand the D i r e c t A c t i o n - Wimmin's F i r e Brigade - Vancouver 5 experience, i f we are to c r i t i c a l l y a s s i m i l a t e and b u i l d upon i t , we must look a t i t i n t h i s broader context of West European - American r e s i s t a n c e .

Why Armed Str u g g l e ?

I f we are to look at armed s t r u g g l e as a s e r i o u s option w i t h i n the Canadian S t a t e , we must e s t a b l i s h what we b e l i e v e to be the o b j e c t i v e g o a l s of armed s t r u g g l e . C l e a r l y s t a t e d armed s t r u g g l e has three p o t e n t i a l purposes i n the s i t u a t i o n i n which we are c u r r e n t l y l i v i n g : (1) armed propaganda. (2) sabotage - causing r e a l m a t e r i a l damage to the St a t e apparatus

and c a p i t a l i s m . (3) pose the r e v o l u t i o n a r y option; l a y the base f o r a fu t u r e popular

armed r e s i s t a n c e .

(1) Armed Propaganda

"The c o o r d i n a t i o n of urban g u e r i l l a a c t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g each armed a c t i o n , i s the p r i n c i p a l way of making armed propaganda. These a c t i o n s , c a r r i e d out with spec­i f i c and determined o b j e c t i v e s , i m e v i t a b l y become prop­aganda m a t e r i a l f o r the mass communications system." - C a r l o s M a r i g h e l l a , "Minimanual of the Urban G u e r i l l a "

A l l g u e r i l l a a c t i o n s are i n e v i t a b l y armed propaganda. The s u c c e s s of such a c t i o n s as propaganda t o o l s , however, depends on a v a r i e t y of f a c t o r s . The g r e a t e r the degree to which the t a r g e t of the a c t i o n i s a s s o c i a t e d i n popular conciousness with some aspect of oppression, the g r e a t e r the ease with which i t can f i n d broad-based support. I f the t a r g e t has been a c l e a r focus f o r ongoing work on the pa r t of the l e g a l movement, the reason f o r the a c t i o n w i l l be immediately c l e a r , at l e a s t to those comrades aware of the i s s u e . T h i s w i l l be espec­i a l l y t r u e i f the a c t i v i t i e s of the l e g a l movement have f a i l e d to

a l t e r the behavior of the t a r g e t , d e s p i t e an ongoing and c o n s i s t e n t campaign. The timing i n t h i s case i s important. Armed propaganda w i l l be most e f f e c t i v e i f the l e g a l movement has h i t an aaparent im­passe.

I t i s equally important to the o v e r a l l propaganda s u c c e s s of an armed a c t i o n that innocent l i v e s not be endangered. Any r e t i c e n c e r e g a r d ­ing armed s t r u g g l e w i t h i n the movement w i l l be r e i n f o r c e d by the i n ­j u r y or death of an innocent party, and any p o t e n t i a l popular appeal w i l l be completely precluded. However, we must e q u a l l y recognize t h a t such i n j u r i e s and deaths, as unfortunate as they c e r t a i n l y are, w i l l always be a p o s s i b i l i t y i n the context of armed r e s i s t a n c e , p a r t i c u ­l a r l y as the S t a t e often has a s e c r e t i n t e r e s t i n a l l o w i n g such i n ­c i d e n t s to occur ( i f not c r e a t i n g them) to f u e l i t s propaganda war ag a i n s t the g u e r i l l a . I t must e q u a l l y be recognized t h a t a l l S t a t e s , i n c l u d i n g the Canadian S t a t e , are d a i l y engaged i n genocide and v i o l e n t a t t a c k s a g a i n s t 3rd World peoples, a g a i n s t other s p e c i e s , and a g a i n s t the eart h i t s e l f . No e r r o r on the p a r t of the g u e r i l l a could begin to touch t h i s d a i l y v i o l e n c e , which has become ac c e p t a b l e as a s t r u c t u r a l p a r t of our s o c i e t y to such a high degree as to go on v i r t u a l l y ignored, except i n the most r h e t o r i c a l way.

Beyond the a c t u a l a c t i o n i t s e l f , the s u c c e s s i n terms of propaganda depends, to a grea t degree, on the c a p a c i t y of supporters i n the l e g ­a l movement to e f f e c t i v e l y do propaganda work. The a c t i o n must be­come widely known and c o n t e x t u a l l y understood to r e c e i v e the maximum popular support. The g u e r i l l a cannot be expected to do t h i s , and by and l a r g e w i l l not be i n a p o s i t i o n to do t h i s . T h i s job i s the r e ­s p o n s i b i l i t y of sympathetic people a c t i v e i n the l e g a l movement.

(2) Sabotage

Every urban g u e r i l l a a c t i o n d i r e c t e d a t property i s an a c t of sabo­tage. Whereas the l e g a l movement can r a i s e conciousness r e g a r d i n g a p a r t i c u l a r i s s u e , as long as i t i s p u b l i c and l e g a l , i t can do l i t t l e to a c t u a l l y d i s r u p t the a b i l i t y of the S t a t e apparatus to c a r r y through with i t s i n t e n t i o n s . Only a f l e x i b l e , c l a n d e s t i n e , armed movement i s i n a p o s i t i o n to c a r r y out r e l e n t l e s s a t t a c k and sabo­tage, a l b e i t i n a l i m i t e d form. Such sabotage, w h i l e i t may not u l ­t i m a t e l y stop a p r o j e c t , slows i t down and g r e a t l y i n c r e a s e s the c o s t .

(3) Pose the Re v o l u t i o n a r y Option

"The p r i n c i p l e ( i s ) t h a t r e v o l u t i o n a r y a c t i o n i n i t s e l f , the very a c t of arming o n s e l f , p r e p a r i n g , equipping, and pursuing a c t i v i t i e s t h a t v i o l a t e bourgeois l e g a l i t y , gen­e r a t e s r e v o l u t i o n a r y conciousness, o r g a n i z a t i o n , and con­d i t i o n s . " -a Tupamaro

"The mass armed c a p a b i l i t y which w i l l d e s t r o y the S t a t e has i t s beginnings i n very s m a l l armed a c t i o n s , and through these g u e r i l l a a c t i o n s the mass armed c a p a b i l i t y

r~develops. " -RAF

By engaging i n armed s t r u g g l e , e"en i n i t s formative stage, the guer­i l l a r a i s e s the i s s u e s of m i l i t a n t armed r e s i s t a n c e to the c a p i t a l i s t S t a t e from a dim t h e o r e t i c a l concept to an immediate p r a c t i c a l poss­i b i l i t y . I n doing so the nature of l e f t d i s c u s s i o n i s q u a l i t a t i v e l y changed. The p o s s i b i l i t y f o r r e v o l u t i o n a r i e s to engage i n e f f e c t i v e armed r e s i s t a n c e i s a f f i r m e d . While t h i s p r e l i m i n a r y armed r e s i s ­tance w i l l , de f a c t o , r e c e i v e only l i m i t e d support, even on the l e f t , t h i s l i m i t e d support i s the p o t e n t i a l nucleus f o r the eventual armed s t r u g g l e t h a t w i l l be n e c e s s a r y f o r r e v o l u t i o n a r y change to occur i n any n a t i o n - S t a t e .

As w e l l as i n d i c a t i n g the p o s s i b i l i t y f o r m i l i t a n t r e s i s t a n c e , armed a c t i v i t y demonstrates the p o s s i b i l i t y of p i n p o i n t i n g the system's weak p o i n t s and a t t a c k i n g o f f e n s i v e l y and e f f e c t i v e l y , even from a p e r s p e c t i v e of r e l a t i v e weakness. By so doing the myth of the i n ­v i n c i b l e S t a t e i s d e f l a t e d and new p o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r r e s i s t a n c e are opened up.

"Urban g u e r i l l a warfare aims to destroy the domination of the S t a t e by s t r i k i n g a t s i n g l e weak p o i n t s , and to des­tr o y the myth of the omnipotence of the S t a t e and i t s i n ­v u l n e r a b i l i t y . " -RAF

When c a r r i e d out i n a c o n s i s t e n t way g u e r i l l a p o l i t i c s can be em­powering to even the l e g a l l e f t . The g u e r i l l a , because of i t s c l a n ­d e s t i n e o r g a n i z a t i o n , i s i n a p o s i t i o n to add a concrete dimension to the propaganda and a g i t a t i o n of the l e g a l l e f t .

I n s h o r t , the g u e r i l l a i s the o f f e n s i v e p o s i t i o n adopted by a l i m i t e d number of comrades to g i v e o f f e n s i v e c h a r a c t e r to the otherwise de­f e n s i v e and e d u c a t i o n a l work of the l e f t . The g u e r i l l a i s the revo­l u t i o n a r y e x p r e s s i o n of our rage i n the face of a seemingly monolith­i c and untouchable enemy.

Arguments Against G u e r i l l a P o l i t i c s

Almost every example of urban g u e r i l l a r e s i s t a n c e has been s u b j e c t to a l i t a n y of a t t a c k s from t h e " t r a d i t i o n a l " l e f t . The most common and r e c u r r e n t c r i t i c i s m s are t h a t :

(1) the time i s not r i g h t and,as such,armed r e s i s t a n c e i s e l i t e s t . (2) armed r e s i s t a n c e b r i n g s down r e p r e s s i o n on innocent ( l e g i t i ­

mate?) l e f t o r g a n i z a t i o n s and i n d i v i d u a l s .

(1) Waiting f o r the Right Time

" I f t h e r e i s not a reasonably prepared group, the r e v o l u ­t i o n a r y c o n j u n c t u r e s are simply wasted or not taken ad­vantage of." -a Tupamaro

" I t would be wrong to engage i n armed s t r u g g l e only when the 'consent of the masses' i s assured, f o r t h i s would ac­t u a l l y mean to renounce the s t r u g g l e a l t o g e t h e r , as t h i s

consent can be obtained only by s t r u g g l e i t s e l f . True mass armed s t r u g g l e can only take p l a c e when i t i s under­stood by the masses, however, the comprehension of the need for armed s t r u g g l e can only be aroused through be­ginning armed s t r u g g l e . " -RAF

The concept t h a t when "the time i s r i g h t " f o r armed s t r u g g l e we w i l l r ecognize i t and by some amazing osmosis absorb the information and a b i l i t y we need to e f f e c t i v e l y wage g u e r i l l a warfare i s indeed a c u r i o u s one. C l e a r l y , i f we don't begin now to prepare f o r the e-v e n t u a l armed c o n f l i c t w i t h the S t a t e , the S t a t e w i l l take a l l n e c e s s a r y p r e c a u t i o n s to a s s u r e t h e i r u l t i m a t e c o n t r o l before the p o i n t of c r i s i s l i k e l y to motivate massive r e s i s t a n c e i n the F i r s t World a c t u a l l y o c c u r s . I n f a c t , i t i s c l e a r t h a t the modern techno-p o l i c e S t a t e i s f a i r l y advanced i n t h i s a r e a . While we c a r r y on our l o w - l e v e l , l a r g e l y e d u c a t i o n a l , and, by and l a r g e , i n e f f e c t u a l p o l i ­t i c a l work, the S t a t e i s b u s i l y developing the means of s u r v e i l l a n c e t h a t w i l l a l low them to i d e n t i f y and, i f necessary, monitor the move­ment and a c t i v i t y of each and every i n d i v i d u a l i n t h i s s o c i e t y . I f we do not a c t now to organize an e f f e c t i v e c l a n d e s t i n e opposition ( w i t h i n the c o n s t a n t l y narrowing f i e l d of p o s s i b i l i t y ) the t o t a l s u r v e i l l a n c e S t a t e w i l l be q u i e t l y p l a c e d i n motion, perhaps c u r ­t a i l i n g once and f o r a l l the p o s s i b i l i t y of e f f e c t i v e r e v o l u t i o n a r y upsurge.

I t i s not a matter of e l i t i s m , i t i s simply a matter of those i n d i v ­i d u a l s who are concious of the need to r e s i s t the r i s e of the new "techno-fascism" a c t i n g now, before i t i s too l a t e . I f small groups do not a c t now, the p o s s i b i l i t y f o r mass orga n i z i n g i n the f u t u r e may be c l o s e d f o r e v e r .

(2) Armed R e s i s t a n c e B r i n g s Down Repression

"Repression i s indeed p a r t of r e v o l u t i o n , a n a t u r a l a n t i ­t h e s i s , the always-to-be-expected defense-attack r e f l e x of the beleagured, t o o t h l e s s t i g e r . " -George Jackson

The concept t h a t armed a c t i v i t y b r i n g s down r e p r e s s i o n on innocent people on the l e f t i s one of the more r e v e a l i n g statements to come from s e c t i o n s of the l e f t opposed to armed s t r u g g l e .

Such a p e r c e p t i o n persumes t h a t somehow the S t a t e i s w i l l i n g to stand by and allow l e f t o p p o s i t i o n to unfold unchallenged as long as i t r e ­mains n o n - v i o l e n t . C l e a r l y , t h i s i s not the c a s e . While non-vio­l e n t , l e g a l o r g a n i z i n g may not i l l i c i t d i r e c t i n t e r v e n t i o n from the S t a t e , the p o l i c e apparatus w i l l engage i n constant i n t e r v e n t i o n , i n ­f i l t r a t i o n , s u r v e i l l a n c e , and d e s t a b i l i z a t i o n . Andy li o x l e y ' s work as an i n f i l t r a t o r i n the Peace Movement stands as w i t n e s s to t h i s .

T h i s statement f u r t h e r presumes t h a t there e x i s t s some form of v a l i d l e f t a c t i v i t y t h a t w i l l a l l o w the l e f t to play an o b j e c t i v e l y r e v o l ­u t i o n a r y r o l e without t h r e a t e n i n g t h e i r s e c u r i t y v i s - a - v i s the S t a t e . Such a concept r e f l e c t s l i t t l e more than the F i r s t World l e f t ' s de-

s i r e to engage i n " l e f t " p o l i t i c s without t h r e a t e n i n g t h e i r comfort­able m i d d l e - c l a s s l i f e s t y l e s .

The unrecognized r e a l i t y i s that armed a c t i v i t y does not c r e a t e r e ­p r e s s i o n . Repression i s a s t r u c t u r a l p a r t of the " t e c h n o - f a s c i s t " S t a t e on every l e v e l . Armed r e s i s t a n c e simply b r i n g s i t out i n t o the open where i t can be seen and understood fo r what i t i s .

F i n a l l y , the l e g a l l e f t often f a i l s to r e a l i z e t h a t the primary mo­t i v a t i o n for r a i d s , a r r e s t s , and other r e p r e s s i v e a c t i o n s a g a i n s t the l e g a l l e f t i n the wake of a g u e r i l l a a t t a c k i s not to capture those who are r e s p o n s i b l e , the p o l i c e know they won't be found i n l e g a l l e f t o r g a n i z a t i o n s , but to d r i v e a wedge between the l e g a l movement and the g u e r i l l a . The tradgedy i s t h a t the l e g a l l e f t , b y and l a r g e , f a l l s r i g h t i n t o the s t r a t e g y , often going on to do the S t a t e ' s a n t i -g u e r i l l a p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s work.

" I f we accept r e v o l u t i o n , we must accept a l l that i t im­p l i e s : r e p r e s s i o n , c o u n t e r - t e r r o r i s m , days f i l l e d with work, nervous s t r a i n , p r i s o n , f u n e r a l s . " -George Jackson

D i r e c t Action and the Wimmin's F i r e Brigade

Having e s t a b l i s h e d a general framework f o r e v a l u a t i n g armed s t r u g g l e i n F i r s t World urban environments, we'd l i k e to turn our a t t e n t i o n to the p a r t i c u l a r s of the D i r e c t A c t i o n and Wimmin's F i r e Brigade ex­p e r i e n c e .

(a) The A c t i o n s

(1) CheeTceye-Dunsmuir Power Substation

On I'ay 31, 1982, D i r e c t A c t i o n bombed the Cheekeye-Dunsmuir power s u b s t a t i o n . From both an i d e o l o g i c a l and a s t r a t e g i c a l p e r s p e c t i v e t h i s a c t i o n was armed a c t i v i t y of the h i g h e s t order.

As an a c t of sabotage i t was . very s u c c e s s f u l . The power-substa­t i o n , which was j u s t about ready to go i n t o a c t i o n , was rendered use­l e s s . D i r e c t Action's 4 bombs caused more than $5 m i l l i o n damage, n e c e s s i t a t i n g the r e c o n s t r u c t i o n of the s u b s t a t i o n from near s c r a t c h .

I n terms of posing the r e v o l u t i o n a r y option, the a c t i o n was w e l l tim­ed. The l e g a l movement had spent y e a r s p e t i t i o n i n g , l e t t e r - w r i t i n g , p i c k e t i n g , blockading, e t c . without s u c c e s s f u l l y p u t t i n g a h a l t to Hydro's p l a n t o develop Cheekeye-Dunsmuir r e g a r d l e s s of environmental or human c o s t s . D i r e c t A c t i o n showed t h a t when the S t a t e c l o s e s a l l l e g a l channels there s t i l l remain options f o r people who are opposed to the p o l i c i e s of the S t a t e , and these options can be e x c e r c i s e d by s m a l l committed groups w i t h few r e s o u r c e s .

I n propaganda terms the communique was c l e a r and c o n c i s e , e x p l a i n i n g simply why the bombing had been n e c e s s a r y :

"We r e j e c t the e c o l o g i c a l d e s t r u c t i o n and the human op­p r e s s i o n inherent i n the i n d u s t r i a l s o c i e t i e s of the corp­orate machine i n the West and the communist machine i n the E a s t . I n the l a s t two hundred y e a r s i n d u s t r i a l c i v i l i z a ­t i o n has been raping and m u t i l a t i n g the e a r t h and extermin­a t i n g other s p e c i e s a t an ever a c c e l e r a t i n g r a t e . We say t h i s i s not r i g h t . Jobs, p r o g r e s s , standards of l i v i n g -nothing i s s u f f i c i e n t j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r the h o r r i b l e dam­age being done."

"While being i n complete o p p o s i t i o n to f u r t h e r e c o l o g i c a l d e s t r u c t i o n , we a l s o oppose the human oppression r e s u l t i n g from the economic and p o l i t i c a l systems throughout the world t h a t are based on power and p r o f i t . I n f a c t , ecolog­i c a l d e s t r u c t i o n i s d i r e c t l y r e l a t e d to the human oppres­s i o n s of sexism, r a c i s m , h i e r a r c h y and i m p e r i a l i s m . The d e s i r e f o r power, the i n s e n s i t i v i t y to the s u f f e r i n g of others and the need to f e e l s u p e r i o r are the s i n i s t e r bonds th a t u n d e r l i e a l l these human r e l a t i o n s . " - D i r e c t Action, "Cheekeye Dunsmuir Communique"

I f there was a weakness i n propaganda terms, i t d i d n ' t l i e e i t h e r i n the a c t i o n or the accompanying communique, i t i s to be found i n our i n a b i l i t y as a movement to recognize the perameters of what had oc­c u r r e d and to widely c i r c u l a t e the communique and develop a d i s c u s ­s i o n around i t .

(2) L i t t o n I n d u s t r i e s Bombing

As an a c t of sabotage, the D i r e c t A c t i o n bombing of L i t t o n I n d u s t r i e s on October 14, 1982, was a massive s u c c e s s , causing an estimated $7 m i l l i o n damage and e v e n t u a l l y p l a y i n g a r o l e i n c r e a t i n g the s i t u a ­t i o n whereby L i t t o n systems of Canada was not i n v i t e d to b i d on the c o n t r a c t f o r the guidance d e v i c e f o r the advanced v e r s i o n of the C r u i s e M i s s l e . L i t t o n P r e s i d e n t , Ronald Keating, made c l e a r i n A p r i l 84 t h a t both p u b l i c p r e s s u r e and the D i r e c t A c t i o n bombing played a r o l e i n knocking L i t t o n out of the running. He s a i d , " ( P r o t e s t e r s ) are an i r r i t a n t , they get a l o t of p u b l i c i t y , and the Americans read every damn b i t of i t . P r e s s u r e from these people i s making the Americans look t w i c e . " He added, "No one e l s e has been bombed." (He's got a v a l i d complaint, someone ought to do something about t h a t . )

Again the communique was c l e a r and c o n c i s e as to the reasons f o r the a t t a c k .

"The i n s a n i t y of n u c l e a r war, and the c o n t i n u i n g develop­ment of weapons f o r n u c l e a r war stands as a h o r r o r f o r a l l to see. I n the i n d u s t r i a l i z e d world more r e s o u r c e s , s c i e n ­t i s t s and engineers are engaged i n c r e a t i n g the armies and weapons systems f o r n u c l e a r war than any other s i n g l e pur­s u i t . Three to ten new bombs are added d a i l y to the a r -

s e n a l s of g l o b a l a n n i h i l a t i o n and over $300 b i l l i o n i s spent every year i n c r e a s i n g and upgrading an o v e r k i l l s t o c k p i l e of more than 55,000 n u c l e a r weapons. I n the U.S., Reagan has asked for a 31% i n c r e a s e i n the Penta­gon's $1.7 t r i l l i o n f i v e - y e a r budget and has a l s o announc­ed a new $1.5 t r i l l i o n arms program. Who can doubt the d i c t a t o r s and m i l i t a r i s t s i n the Kremlin are f a r behind."

" I n d u s t r i e s i n Canada that produce nu c l e a r weapons com­ponents are f u l l y i n t e g r a t e d with the n u c l e a r p o l i c i e s of the U.S. through the U.S./Canada Defense Production Shar­ing Arrangements. Thes arrangements cover the production s i d e of the NORAD agreements f o r a c o n t i n e n t a l defense p o l i c y and s e t out the d i v i s i o n of labour between Canada and the U.S. f o r weapons production. The f e d e r a l govern­ment d i r e c t l y a s s i s t s and s u b s i d i z e s Canadian armament manufacturers through a myriad of programs designed to h e l p the death merchants win U.S. Defense Department c o n t r a c t s a v a i l a b l e under the Production Sharing Arrangements. Through the Defense In d u s t r y P r o d u c t i v i t y Program, the f e d e r a l government has given L i t t o n $26.4 m i l l i o n to sub­s i d i z e production of the Guidance system f o r the C r u i s e M i s s l e . I n a d d i t i o n , the government has given L i t t o n a f i v e year $22.5 m i l l i o n i n t e r e s t f r e e loan f o r the same purpose."

I n f a c t , from a sabotage and propaganda p e r s p e c t i v e , i t seems l i k e l y t h a t the a c t i o n would have been a s u c c e s s had i t not l e d to 7 i n j u r ­i e s , some of them q u i t e s e r i o u s . The i n j u r i e s were the r e s u l t of the bomb exploding 12 minutes e a r l y ( t h e r e has s i n c e been some s p e c u l a ­t i o n t h a t p o l i c e u s i n g radios a c c i d e n t a l l y t r i g g e r e d i t ) and of s e c u r i t y p e r s o n e l l and the p o l i c e f a i l i n g to grasp the s e r i o u s n e s s of the s i t u a t i o n and evacuate the b u i l d i n g immediately. As i t was the workers were l e a v i n g the b u i l d i n g a t the exact moment the 550 l b s . bomb exploded, l e a v i n g them open to the maximum i n j u r y .

D i r e c t Action r e l e a s e d a communique t a k i n g r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r e r r o r s on t h e i r own p a r t , as w e l l as i n d i c a t i n g a c t i o n s on the p a r t of L i t t o n s e c u r i t y p e r s o n e l l and the cops which c o n t r i b u t e d to the t r a ­gedy. T h i s d e t a i l e d communique s a i d i n p a r t :

"We s i n c e r e l y r e g r e t t h a t any i n j u r i e s occured as a r e s u l t of t h i s a c t i o n . We never intended any harm to come to any­one - e s p e c i a l l y to the workers at L i t t o n - but i n s t e a d , we took care i n p r e p a r i n g what we s r i o u s l y assumed were ade­quate p r e c a u t i o n s to i n s u r e the s a f e t y of a l l people i n the a r e a . Unfortuanately, t h i s d i d not t u r n out to be the c a s e .

"We do not r e g r e t , however, our d e c i s i o n to attempt to sabotage the production of the C r u i s e M i s s l e ' s guidance

•brain*. We only c l a i m i n a l l honesty that t h i s a c t i o n was never meant to be an a c t of t e r r o r i s m . We were not t r y i n g to threaten or k i l l the workers or e x e c u t i v e s of L i t t o n Systems. We were attempting to destroy p a r t of an indus­t r i a l f a c i l i t y t h a t produces machinery fo r mass murder. We wanted to blow up as much of that technology of death as p o s s i b l e . "

The communique then went on to d e l i n e a t e a l l of the e r r o r s which l e d to the i n j u r i e s . ( I t i s too long to p r i n t or summurize here, but i t i s w e l l worth reading f o r a view as to what e r r o r s D i r e c t A c t i o n made and the degree to which p o l i c e and s e c u r i t y incompetence c o n t r i b u t e d to the s i t u a t i o n . )

As could be expected the i n j u r i e s served to a l i e n a t e c e r t a i n s e c t i o n s of the l e f t . Even i n the " a n a r c h i s t " community c e r t a i n i n d i v i d u a l s were t r i p p i n g over themselves to express d i s a p p r o v a l . I n the Novem­ber 15, 1982 i s s u e of S t r i k e 1. L a z a r u s Jones runs v i r t u a l l y the whole gamut i n dredging up a t t a c k s on D i r e c t A c t i o n :

"Under c e r t a i n circumstances, and under c e r t a i n c o n d i ­t i o n s , armed s t r u g g l e i s v a l i d and n e c e s s a r y . Unfortun­a t e l y the i n d i v i d u a l s who comprise D i r e c t A c t i o n seem to have taken no account of the n e c e s s a r y c o n d i t i o n s or c i r ­cumstances ."

The c l a s s i c "time i s not r i g h t " argument.

" D i r e c t Action's statement on the i n j u r i e s caused by the bombing i s both deluded and e q u i v i c a l . They c l a i m to ' s i n c e r e l y r e g r e t t h a t any i n j u r i e s occured as a r e s u l t of the a c t i o n . ' T h i s i s probably t r u e . I would suggest t h a t D i r e c t Action r e f l e c t on the f a c t t h a t by t a k i n g the course they seem to have chosen they must be prepared t o k i l l and maim."

The mad t e r r o r i s t argument.

"Even i f the c h a l l e n g e (of armed s t r u g g l e ) i s taken up the only r e a l r e s u l t , as the European experience has shown, i s an expansion of the vanguard and the reinforcement of the b a s i c e l i t i s m of the g u e r i l l a and h i s / h e r contempt f o r those who r e f u s e the path of r e v o l u t i o n a r y s u i c i d e . "

The g u e r i l l a as f u l i t e e l i t i s m .

And Pat Murtagh, i n a f a n c i f u l a r t i c l e about "Canadian Anarchism" w r i t t e n f o r the L i b e r a t i o n Workers B u l l e t i n , an A u s t r a l i a n Anarcho-s y n d i c a l i s t paper, s a y s :

"A c e r t a i n element (of the Vancouver A n a r c h i s t scene) veered o f f i n t o mindless advocacy of anything t h a t was v i o l e n t , whether a n a r c h i s t or not. T h i s element has

born i t s f r u i t i n the present a c t i v i t i e s of D i r e c t A c t i o n . "

Armed s t r u g g l e as mindless v i o l e n c e .

The p o l i c e moved q u i c k l y to e x p l o i t any u n c e r t a i n t i e s i n the move­ment regarding the a c t i o n s v i a a s e r i e s of r a i d s a g a i n s t l e g a l peace groups. Raids were c a r r i e d out ag a i n s t the C r u i s e M i s s l e Conversion P r o j e c t , the A l l i a n c e f o r Non-Violent A c t i o n , and World Emergency, as w e l l as a g a i n s t prominent i n d i v i d u a l s i n the peace movement. These a c t i o n s , c l e a r l y intended to d r i v e a wedge between D i r e c t Action and the peace movement, were, i n l a r g e p a r t , s u c c e s s f u l , with some l e a d ­ing f i g u r e s i n the peace movement going as f a r as to cooperate with the p o l i c e i n v e s t i g a t i o n and to p u b l i c l y s t a t e t h e i r hope that D i r e c t A c t i o n would be s u c c e s s f u l l y apprehended. There were, of course, a l ­so laudable examples of i n d i v i d u a l s i n the peace movement who c l e a r l y expressed t h e i r s o l i d a r i t y with D i r e c t A c t i o n (and l a t e r the Vancouv­er 5) i n the fac e of S t a t e a t t a c k s .

(3) Red Hot Video Firebombinqs

The November 22, 1932 firebombings of 3 Red Hot Video l o c a t i o n s i n the Lower Mainland of B.C. was f a r and away the most popular armed a t t a c k of t h i s p eriod. The short four paragraph communique read as f o l l o w s :

"We,the Wimmin's F i r e Brigade, c l a i m r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r the fire-bombing of three Red Hot Video o u t l e t s i n the Lower Mainland of B.C. on November 22, 1932. T h i s a c t i o n i s an­other s t e p towards the d e s t r u c t i o n of a b u s i n e s s t h a t pro­motes and p r o f i t s from v i o l e n c e a g a i n s t wimmin and c h i l d ­r e n .

Red Hot Video s e l l s tapes t h a t show wimmin and c h i l d r e n be­ing t o r t u r e d , raped and hu m i l i a t e d . We are not the prop­e r t y of men to be used and abused.

Red Hot Video i s p a r t of a m u l t i - b i l l i o n d o l l a r porno­graphy i n d u s t r y t h a t teaches men to equate s e x u a l i t y with v i o l e n c e . Although these tapes v i o l a t e the C r i m i n a l Code of Canada and the B.C. g u i d e l i n e s on pornography, a l l law­f u l attempts to shut down Red Hot Video have f a i l e d because the j u s t i c e system was cre a t e d , and i s c o n t r o l l e d , by r i c h men to p r o t e c t t h e i r p r o f i t s and property.

As a r e s u l t we are l e f t no v i a b l e a l t e r n a t i v e but to change the s i t u a t i o n o u r s e l v e s through i l l e g a l means. T h i s i s an a c t of s e l f - d e f e n s e a g a i n s t hate propaganda. We w i l l con­t i n u e to defend o u r s e l v e s ! "

T h i s a c t i o n was extremely s u c c e s s f u l , reducing 2 of the 3 Red Hot Vidoe o u t l e t s attacked to ashes. I n the 3rd case the i n c e d i a r y de­v i c e f a i l e d to i g n i t e . I t was a l s o an a c t i o n immediately embraced by a l l s e c t i o n s of the women's movement as one which expressed t h e i r

rage. Groups as d i v e r s e as the B.C. F e d e r a t i o n of Women and the Montreal based Feminist C o a l i t i o n Against Pornography p u b l i c l y em­braced i t . I t was soon c l e a r that women recognized i n t h i s a c t i o n the f i n a l option when faced with the t o t a l i n t r a n s i g i e n c e of the S t a t e .

I n s p i t e of the unfortunate i n j u r i e s a t L i t t o n I n d u s t r i e s , the D i r e c t A c t i o n and Wimmin's F i r e Brigade campaigns of 1932 were, by and l a r g e , e f f e c t i v e on a l l l e v e l s . As propaganda the a c t i o n s and communiques were extremely pointed end e f f e c t i v e , i n t e r l o c k i n g w e l l w ith l a r g e - s c a l e p u b l i c campaigns. We wish to r e i t e r a t e that any shortcomings on the propaganda l e v e l were i n l a r g e p a r t based on the l a c k of r e c o g n i t i o n on the part of sympathetic people a c t i v e i n the l e g a l movement of the n e c e s s i t y of d i s t r i b u t i n g the communiques and encouraging d i s c u s s i o n around them and the s t r a t e g y which they r e p ­r e s e n t e d . I t was not u n t i l the i n j u r i e s a t L i t t o n t h a t the movement began d i s c u s s i n g D i r e c t Action and t h e i r s t r a t e g y , and those of us who wished to defend the s t r a t e g y were f o r c e d i n t o an i n t e n s e l y de­f e n s i v e p o s i t i o n , a very poor p o s i t i o n from which to begin such a complex d i s c u s s i o n . R e t r o s p e c t i v e l y , i t was a major e r r o r to l e t the p o s i t i v e example of the Cheekeye-Dunsmuir bombing pass with so l i t t l e a t t e n t i o n given. The f a c t t h a t the L i t t o n bombing was des­t i n e d to be D i r e c t Action's l a s t a c t i o n f u r t h e r complicated matters because we were s t i l l i n the midst of the very complex d i s c u s s i o n surrounding t h a t a c t i o n and the i n j u r i e s at the time of the a r r e s t s .

The A r r e s t s

The a r r e s t of the Vancouver 5, on January 20 f 1983, was, when one looks at i t r e t r o s p e c t i v e l y , almost i n e v i t a b l e . The q u a n t i t y of org­a n i z i n g these 5 i n d i v i d u a l s had to do i n v i r t u a l i s o l a t i o n made e r ­r o r s t h a t would lead to t h e i r eventual a r r e s t v i t u a l l y c e r t a i n .

Nonetheless, i t appears as i f the comrades made c e r t a i n e r r o r s t h a t i n d i c a t e an inadequate conception of p o l i c e t a c t i c s . They are e r r o r s t h a t must be recognized, examined, and understood, so as to be a v o i d ­ed i n the f u t u r e .

The f a c t t h a t they continued to l i v e i n the Vancouver area and con­tinued to m aintain contact, even at a v e r y low l e v e l , w i th some f r i e n d s was a complete misjudgement of c i r c u m s t a n c e s . C l e a r l y , i f and when the p o l i c e pinpointed them as suspects f r i e n d s and a c -quantances would be put under s u r v e i l l a n c e . At t h a t p o i n t i t was on­l y a matter of time u n t i l the p o l i c e came i n d i r e c t c o n t a c t w i t h one or more of the 5, a f t e r which the a r r e s t s were a v i r t u a l c e r t a i n t y . I f one. i s to b e l i e v e the p o l i c e v e r s i o n of the s u r v e i l l a n c e t h a t l e d to the 5 (and c e r t a i n p a r t s of the p o l i c e s t o r y appear to be t o t a l l y i m p l a u s i b l e - which i s l o g i c a l enough because they have a v e s t e d i n ­t e r e s t i n making sure we know as l i t t l e as i s n e c e s s a r y to guarentee c o n v i c t i o n s , so as to prevent us from developing e f f e c t i v e c o u n t e r - s u r v e i l l a n c e ) then t h i s i s e x a c t l y what happened.

There are l e s s o n s to be drawn from t h a t information a v a i l a b l e r e ­garding the nature and s t y l e of the p o l i c e i n v e s t i g a t i o n . I t i s c l e a r that they are more aware of where i n d i v i d u a l s are at i d e o l o g ­i c a l l y than we sometimes gi v e them c r e d i t f o r . They were able to draw up a pool of s u s p e c t s reasonably q u i c k l y , and although t h i s pool contained many i n d i v i d u a l s who were t o t a l l y uninvolved, i t appears to have e v e n t u a l l y provided the key connection t h a t l e d to the 5, a f t e r which i t simply became a matter of c o l l e c t i n g the n e c e s s a r y informa­t i o n . I t i s c l e a r t h a t they are capable of s o p h i s t i c a t e d s u r v e i l ­l a n c e . They cl a i m to have had as many as 3-10 cops s u r v e i l l i n g a s i n g l e suspect at times, and they c l a i m to have been able to p l a c e Brent i n Calgary at a c e r t a i n point due to "a paper t r a i l " which he l e f t . I t i s a l s o c l e a r t h a t they are w i l l i n g to overlook c r i m i n a l a c t i v i t i e s i f they are holding out for a bigger b u s t . They c l e a r l y l e t s e v e r a l p o s s i b l e s t o l e n v e h i c l e a r r e s t s pass, and o u i t e probably watched the Red Hot Video firebombings, while h o l d i n g out f o r a more major a r r e s t .

Some of the l e s s o n s to be drawn from t h i s are c l e a r . Comrades en­gaging i n i l l e g a l a c t i v i t y on t h i s s c a l e must be prepared to go com­p l e t e l y underground, which implies s e v e r i n g a l l c o n t a c t s with t h e i r p r e vious m i l i e u and f r i e n d s . Such c o n t a c t s , w h i l e emotionally and p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t , are s u i c i d a l from a s e c u r i t y perspec­t i v e . P o l i c e s u r v e i l l a n c e i s s o p h i s t i c a t e d . I f comrades i n v o l v e d i n c l a d e s t i n e work are to avoid i t , they must p r a c t i c e s o p h i s t i c a t e d c o u n t e r - s u r v e i l l a n c e . Primary i n t h i s i s a c a p a c i t y to remove them­s e l v e s from the areas where i n v e s t i g a t i o n s are l i k e l y to s t a r t . And, of course, i t i s c l e a r that any sense that the p o l i c e are aware of one's a c t i v i t i e s , p a r t i c u l a r i l y any d i r e c t c o n t a c t with the cops, however seemingly innocuous, r e q u i r e s t h a t the g u e r i l l a destroy e v e r y t h i n g that might allow the cops to t r a c e them and disappear. A l l of t h i s i m p l i e s a h i g h l y developed network.

"The urban g u e r i l l a presupposes the o r g a n i z a t i o n of an i l ­l e g a l apparatus, i n other words, apartments, weapons, am­munition, c a r s , and i d e n t i f i c a t i o n papers." -RAF

I t appears t h a t by remaining i n the Vancouver area , by m a i n t a i n i n g c o n t a c t s with f r i e n d s , and by ignoring s i g n i f i c a n t brushes with the law, the 5 g r e a t l y f a c i l i t a t e d t h e i r own u l t i m a t e a r r e s t .

The T r i a l

" I f the m i l i t a r y s i t u a t i o n i s d i f f i c u l t from the f i r s t mo­ments, the p o l i t i c a l s i t u a t i o n w i l l be no l e s s d e l i c a t e ; and i f a s i n g l e m i l i t a r y e r r o r can wipe out the g u e r i l l a s , a p o l i t i c a l e r r o r can check t h e i r development f o r a long p e r i o d . " -Che Guevera

While c e r t a i n t a c t i c a l e r r o r s may have c o n t r i b u t e d to the a r r e s t of the 5, t h e i r r a m i f i c a t i o n s for the s t r a t e g y of armed r e s i s t a n c e were minor. I t was the e r r o r s committed by the a r r e s t e d comrades and those of us who d i d defense/support work that served most to defuse

the importance of the c o n t r i b u t i o n s of D i r e c t Action and the Wimmin's F i r e Brigade to r e s i s t a n c e i n Canada.

The approach of the 5 to the l e g a l system and the t r i a l s was a s e r ­ious p o l i t i c a l misjudgement. By f i r s t maintaining t h e i r innocence r a t h e r than defending the a c t i o n s r a t h e r than defending the a c t i o n s and approaching the t r i a l s as a v e h i c l e f o r a d i s c u s s i o n of t h e i r an­a l y s i s , t h e i r s t r a t e g y , and the r o l e of armed s t r u g g l e i n a F i r s t World country, they completely abdicated any c o n t r o l over the t r i a l s .

By hedging t h e i r bets on minimizing t h e i r sentences, the 5 put them­s e l v e s i n a s i t u a t i o n where they could not a c t i v e l y use the t r i a l s f o r propaganda purposes without t h r e a t e n i n g t h e i r l e g a l s t r a t e g y . I n so doing they promoted s e v e r a l erroneous p e r c e p t i o n s . F i r s t of a l l , they de f a c t o recognized the r i g h t of the c o u r t s , and by e x t e n s i o n the S t a t e , to judge t h e i r a c t i o n s , r a t h e r than p i n p o i n t i n g the r o l e of the l e g a l system as a p i l l e r of c l a s s j u s t i c e before which no e q u i t a b l e judgement can ever be suspected, and l e a s t of a l l i n a case i n v o l v i n g armed r e s i s t a n c e . T h i s e r r o r was f u r t h e r compounded by the f a c t that they u l t i m a t e l y placed the case i n the hands of lawyers and hung t h e i r hopes on l e g a l c h a l l e n g e s regarding the l e g i t i m a c y of w i r e t a p s , and s i m i l a r d e t a i l s of l e g a l p r o t o c o l . Such a statement of f a i t h i n the l e g a l system served only to c o n t r i b u t e to f u r t h e r mys­t i f i c a t i o n surrounding the t h e o r e t i c a l " n e u t r a l i t y " of the c o u r t s , and by extension the S t a t e .

The response of supporters was to adopt the l i b e r a l demand of the " r i g h t to a f a i r t r i a l " . The more we worked with t h i s demand, the more we boxed o u r s e l v e s i n p o l i t i c a l l y . I f the 5 were ma i n t a i n i n g t h e i r innocence and we were demanding "a f a i r t r i a l " , then we were de f a c t o blocked from engaging i n the primary d i s c u s s i o n regarding the a c t i o n s and the r o l e of armed s t r u g g l e i n Canada. I f questioned r e ­c a l l i n g the a c t i o n s , we were forced by our l i n e to t r e a t the i s s u e of armed s t r u g g l e as secondary or even i n c o n s e q u e n t i a l . Although the 5 d i d r e s i s t t h i s , they d i d so i n a f a i r l y weak f a s h i o n .

"We know t h a t i f there was such a t h i n g as f a i r t r i a l s & j u s t i c e - we would walk f r e e . But ther i s no j u s t i c e & we w i l l not r e c e i v e a f a i r t r i a l . Yet because i t i s sometimes p o s s i b l e to e x p l o i t the c o n t r a d i c t i o n s inherent i n the bourgeois democratic l e g a l process (which r e s u l t from the need fo r lawmakers to appear f a i r and l e g i t i m a t e ) , we w i l l be p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n the courtroom facade to t r y and m i n i ­mize the l e g a l a t t a c k a g a i n s t u s . " - J u l i e , Ann, Gerry, Doug, Brent - 13-03-83, "Free the F i v e Newsletter"

I t was not, however, u n t i l i s s u e no. l e t t e r " , i s s u e d on Nov. 16, 83, t h a t ed the " f a i r t r i a l " s t r a t e g y , which f o r n e a r l y 10 months.

7 of the "Free the F i v e News-4 of the 5 f i r s t p u b l i c l y oppos-y t h a t time had been going on

"Much of the p o l i t i c a l work done around our case has been

centered on the i s s u e s of ' r i g h t to a f a i r t r i a l ' and abuses of process by the media, p o l i c e , and p r o s e c u t i o n . "

"We would l i k e to see the p o l i t i c a l work done on bur case c e n t e r around what we c o n s i d e r to be the r e a l i s s u e s : en-vironmentalism, feminism, a n t i - i m p e r i a l i s m , & r a d i c a l a c t ­i v i s m . " -Ann, Gerry, Doug, Brent

However, i n s p i t e of these statements the defense/support m i l i e u f a i l e d to change gears. We continued to o r i e n t our work around S t a t e e x c e s s e s and i l l e g a l i t i e s , d i s p e n s i n g information, but r e f u s i n g to engage i n the c e n t r a l debate: What i s the r o l e of armed r e s i s t a n c e i n Canada? How can m i l i t a n t r e s i s t a n c e be c o n s t r u c t e d here?

I f we are to attempt to p i n p o i n t the reasons why we f a i l e d to respond p o s i t i v e l y to the s i t u a t i o n the a r r e s t s and t r i a l s presented us with, s e v e r a l weaknesses become apparent. Both the p r i s o n e r s and t h e i r defense/support committees f a i l e d to see the j u d i c i a l experience, both the c o u r t s and p r i s o n , as an i n t e g r a l p a r t of the armed s t r u g g l e . The 5 f a i l e d to take the l e a d i n using the courtroom as a p l a t f o r m f o r propaganda and the p r i s o n as a c e n t r a l element i n the c o n f r o n t a t i o n between oppression and r e s i s t a n c e . For our p a r t we f e l l i n t o the t r a p of b e l i e v i n g we could somehow save our f r i e n d s i f we dwelled on the c o n t r a d i c t i o n s w i t h i n the S t a t e ' s l e g a l system and downplayed the armed a c t i o n s of D i r e c t Action and the Wimmin's F i r e B rigade. The l i b e r a l d e v i a t i o n s t h a t occurred i n t h i s s c e n e r i o were never r e c t i f i e d i n any important way because no shared conception of p o l i t i c s i n g e n e r a l or of the t r i a l s i n p a r t i c u l a r ever evolved be­tween the 5 and t h e i r s u p p o r t e r s . Because there was no s o l i d p o l i t i ­c a l a n a l y s i s of the s i t u a t i o n coming from the p r i s o n e r s and the sup­p o r t e r s f a i l e d to evolve one, the p o s s i b i l i t y of u s i n g the t r i a l s to b u i l d support f o r the armed s t r u g g l e was l o s t .

The s i t u a t i o n f u r t h e r s l i p p e d from our c o n t r o l when the g u i l t y p l e a s were f i l e d . On March 17, 1983, J u l i e and Gerry pleaded g u i l t y . J u l i e pleaded g u i l t y to c o n s p i r a c y to rob a B r i n k s armoured c a r , attempted arson of the Port Coguitlara Red Hot Video, car t h e f t , p o s s e s s i o n of e x p l o s i v e s , p o s s e s s i o n of weapons dangerous to the p u b l i c peace, and bombing L i t t o n I n d u s t r i e s . Gerry f i l e d the same g u i l t y p l e a , l e s s p o s s e s s i o n of e x p l o s i v e s and the L i t t o n bombing. On June 4, 84, Ann pleaded g u i l t y to the Cheekeye-Dunsmuir bombing, the L i t t o n bombing, p o s s e s s i o n of e x p l o s i v e s , and p o s s e s s i o n of weapons. Ann had a l r e a d y been found g u i l t y of c o n s p i r a c y to rob a B r i n k s armoured c a r , posses­s i o n of e x p l o s i v e s , p o s s e s s i o n of weapons, p o s s e s s i o n of s t o l e n prop­e r t y , v e h i c l e t h e f t , and breaking and e n t e r i n g . On June 8, Doug pleaded g u i l t y to the Cheekeye Dunsmuir bombing and Brent pleaded g u i l t y t o p o s s e s s i o n of weapons and p o s s e s s i o n of e x p l o s i v e s , having a l r e a d y been found g u i l t y of the same charges as Ann i n the f i r s t t r i a l ( l i s t e d above).

While the d e s i r e to put an end to dead time faced i n endless t r i a l s

i s u n d e r s t a n d a b l e , e s p e c i a l l y g i v e n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e outcome of t h e f i r s t t r i a l was h a r d l y a v i c t o r y from a l e g a l p e r s p e c t i v e , J u l i e hav­i n g been sentenced t o 20 y e a r s and G e r r y t o 10, a f t e r p l e a d i n g g u i l t y , and Ann and D r e n t h a v i n g been f o u n d g u i l t y on a l l c h a r g e s , t h e g u i l t y p l e a s l e f t l i t t l e t o be recouped p o l i t i c a l l y f o l l o w i n g t h e almost e x c l u s i v e f o c u s o f d e f e n s e / s u p p o r t p o l i t i c s on t h e " r i g h t t o a f a i r t r i a l " . P a r t i c u l a r i l l y damaging p o l i t i c a l l y wasGerry's d e c i s i o n t o accept a g u i l t y p l e a on t h e Wimmin's F i r e B r i g a d e a c t i o n as p a r t of a p l e a b a r g a i n . T h i s was p a r t i c u l a r i l y d i s o r i e n t i n g as t h e Wimmin's F i r e B r i g a d e had been g e n e r a l l y r e c o g n i z e d and accepted as an a l l women's group and t h e a c t i o n as an a l l women's a c t i o n . Gerry's d e c i s o n t o p l e a d g u i l t y p u r e l y as a p r a c t i c a l i t y , w h i l e un­d e r s t o o d by th o s e s u p p o r t e r s c l o s e r t o t h e d e c i s i o n making p r o c e s s , was n o t n e c e s s a r i l y so c l e a r f o r t h e b r o a d e r p o l i t i c a l community w a t c h i n g t h e t r i a l s , some o f whom were t a k e n aback b o t h by t h e g u i l t y p l e a s (we had done such an e f f e c t i v e j o b o f our " r i g h t t o a f a i r t r i a l " campaign t h a t some people i n t h e p o l i t i c a l community a c t u a l l y b e l i e v e d t h e 5 were p e r s e c u t e d i n n o c e n t s and i n t h e f a c e o f t h e g u i l ­t y p l e a s f e l t t h e i r t r u s t had been b e t r a y e d I T h i s i s r a t h e r a l a r g e s t a t e m e n t of how e f f e c t i v e l y we b u r i e d t h e key i s s u e s i n our d e f e n s e / s u p p o r t work.) and l e f t unsure as t o whether t h e Wimmin's F i r e B r i g a d e had a c t u a l l y been a s t a t e m e n t o f women's r e s i s t a n c e , o r simp­l y D i r e c t A c t i o n u s i n g a n o t h e r name f o r reasons o f p o l i t i c a l e f f i c a -c i t y . Given t h e massive p o p u l a r i t y o f t h e Wimmin's F i r e B r i g a d e , p a r t i c u l a r i l y i n the women's community, t o i n t r o d u c e such u n c l a r i t y was a p o l i t i c a l e r r o r .

I t was n o t u n t i l the s e n t e n c i n g t h a t t h e f i r s t r e a l p o l i t i c a l s t a t e ­ments came from t h e 5, and t h i s was V-i y e a r s a f t e r t h e a r r e s t and n e a r l y 2 ye a r s a f t e r t h e l a s t a c t i o n . On June 5, C>*, Ann r e a d h e r s t a t e m e n t . T h i s l o n g , e l o q u e n t , and p o w e r f u l s t a t e m e n t s a i d , among o t h e r t h i n g s :

" I n t h e b e g i n n i n g when I was f i r s t a r r e s t e d , I was i n t i m i ­d a t e d and s u r r o u n d e d by the c o u r t s and p r i s o n . T h i s f e a r p r o v i d e d t h e b a s i s f o r t h e h e l i e f t h a t i f I p l a y e d t h e l e g ­a l game, I would, g e t a c q u i t t e d o r perhaps l e s s t i m e . T h i s b e l i e f obscured my v i s i o n and f o o l e d me i n t o b e l i e v i n g t h a t I c o u l d g e t a b r e a k f r o - t he l e g a l system. But t h i s p a s t e i g h t months i n c o u r t has sharpened my p e r c e p t i o n s and s t r e n g t h e n e d m,r p o l i t i c a l c o n v i c t i o n s t o see t h a t t h e 1 e r r > l gar.e i s r i g g e d and p o l i t i c a l p r i s o n e r s are d e a l t a marked dec 1 -."

" I would p r e f e r t o l i T " e i n peace b u t "hen I l o o k e d around me, I c o u l d n ' t f i n d i t an'vhere. S^eryw^ere I l o o k e d , t h e l a n d was b e i n g d e s t r o y e d t h e I n d i a n s were * Tic J:ims o^ gen­o c i d e , t h i r d w o r l d poop 1 or were oppressed apd massacred, n e o o l s 1 i v ° ̂ n : " l i ^ r 1 * ! * " r 1 T T f s ̂ e r n ̂ *"> Pn'1 »-r.̂ rin were ^e i n g raped and c h i l d r e n m o l e s t e d . I c o u l d ne**er l i ' r e i n peace - cnl*-* c u i e t — t h e k i n d *"ou nd i n c e m e t e r i e s .

Even though I know t h a t D few m i l i t a n t d i r e c t a c t i o n s w o u l d not na^e the r e v o l u t i o n or s t o p t h e s e p r o j e c t s , I b e l i e v e d i t was necessary t o b e g i n t h e development o f an underground r e s i s t a n c e movement t h a t was c a p a b l e of sabotage ?nd ex­p r o p r i a t i o n s and c o u l d work f r e e f r o m p o l i c e s u r v e i l l a n c e . The development o f an e f f e c t i v e r e s i s t a n c e movement i s n o t an o v e r n i g h t a f f a i r - i t t a k e s decodes of e * T o l \ j t i o n . I t has t o s t a r t somewhere i n s m a l l numbers and. whether or n o t i t grows, becomes e f f e c t i v e and s u c c e s s f u l , w i l l depend on whether or not wo make i t happen."

On June 2 1 , 84, Doug made a s h o r t r n d p o i n t e d s t a t e m e n t , which ex­p l a i n e d t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l p e r s p e c t i v e o f D i r e c t A c t i o n and t h e reason f o r t h e Cheekeye-Dunsmuir bombing. I n p a r t he s a i d :

"The reason I d i d t h a t (bombed t h e Cheekeye-Dunsmuir power s u b s t a t i o n ) i s t h a t t h e Cheekeye-Dunsmuir p r o j e c t i s g o i n g t o i n f l i c t l a r g e - s c a l e , severe damage on t h e environment o f B.C., and I c o n s i d e r t h a t r e p r e h e n s i b l e and i n t o l e r a b l e . "

"The d e s t r u c t i o n o f t h e w o r l d ' s e n v i r o n m e n t i s a d i r e c t consequence of modern i n d u s t r i a l i s m , b u t i t a l s o s p r i n g s from c e r t a i n f u n d a m e n t a l p e r s p e c t i v e s o f our c u l t u r e .

Host people i n our s o c i e t y , and c e r t a i n l y t h o s e w i t h t h e w e a l t h and power are o f t h e o p i n i o n t h a t t h e Earth, belongs t o us, t h a t i t e x i s t s o n l y f o r our use, and i t i s of v a l u e o n l y t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t we v a l u e i t . I t ' s t a k e n f o r g r a n t ­ed t h a t we have a n a t u r a l b i r t h r i g h t t o m a n i p u l a t e t h e en­t i r e w o r l d ' s e c o l o g y f o r our ends.

That i s n o t how I see i t . I n my o p i n i o n a l l l i f e on e a r t h has a r i g h t t o be, and i s o f w o r t h and i m p o r t a n c e i n and o f i t s e l f . The n a t u r a l w o r l d i s a home t h a t we share w i t h t h e t r e e s and t h e b i r d s , and w h i c h we s h o u l d t r e a t r e s p e c t f u l l y and g e n t l y , and n o t as something t o r u t h l e s s l y l a y t o waste."

F i n a l l y , on June 25, 84, B r e n t was sentenced and made h i s s e n t e n c i n g s t a t e m e n t . A b r i e f p o r t i o n f o l l o w s :

"My purpose i n s p e a k i n g t o d a y i s s i m p l y t o r e a f f i r m my committment t o t h e b a s i c v a l u e s and i d e a l s w h i c h m o t i v a t e d me t o s t r u g g l e . I b e l i e v e t h a t b o t h t h e i d e a l s , and t h e s t r u g g l e , are j u s t and t h a t t h e y h o l d t h e pro m i s e o f a b e t t e r f u t u r e . I c o n t i n u e t o d e s i r e t h e c r e a t i o n o f so­c i e t i e s based upon f e m i n i s t , h u m a n i s t , c o - o p e r a t i v e , eco­l o g i c a l and n o n - a u t h o r i t a r i a n p r i n c i p l e s .

I l l e g a l a c t i v i t i e s were one p a r t o f my a c t i v i s m i n the s t r u g g l e , a g a i n s t t h e i n j u s t i c e s and t h r e a t s t o l i f e mani-

f e s t i n modern i n d u s t r i a l c i v i l i z a t i o n , and the p o l i t i c a l and economic system of i m p e r i a l i s m . The o v e r a l l purpose of any i l l e g a l a c t i v i t y I was i n v o l v e d i n was to f u r t h e r develop the s t r u g g l e and thereby c o n t r i b u t e to the p o s s i ­b i l i t y of a b e t t e r world - one i n which a l l people can f i n ­a l l y l i v e i n freedom and i n t e r n a t i o n a l u n i t y . Even i f t h i s does not come about i n my l i f e t i m e , i t i s my hope that one day our f u t u r e r e l a t i v e s w i l l l i v e i n such a world."

The sentencing statements were powerful p o l i t i c a l statements and were r e c e i v e d as such. As good as the s e n t e n c i n g statements were, coming as they did, at the end of a long and i n t e n s e process, they d i d not serve as a r a l l y i n g p oint f o r a d i s c u s s i o n . Had such statements come e a r l y i n the l e g a l p r o c e s s and had the defense/support committees chosen to s t r e s s the p o l i t i c s i n h e r e n t i n the a c t i o n s and accompany­ing communiques and i n the s e n t e n c i n g statements, r a t h e r than organ­i z i n g around the demand f o r the " r i g h t to a f a i r t r i a l " , t h e p o l i t i c a l p o t e n t i a l of the t r i a l s might have been r e a l i z e d . As i t was the p o l ­i t i c a l i s s u e s , q u i t e simply, came to the f o r e too l a t e .

The Appeals

As s e r i o u s a p o l i t i c a l setback as the i n j u r i e s a t L i t t o n and the p o l ­i t i c a l mismanagement of the t r i a l s were, the r e a l blow to the 5 and t h e i r supporters was J u l i e ' s d e c i s i o n to break, with her former com­rades and r e c a n t .

I n an emotionally charged performance J u l i e used her sentence appeal to focus the bulk of the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r D i r e c t Action and Wimmin's F i r e Brigade a c t i o n s on Ann and Brent, p a r t i c u l a r i l y B r e n t , whom she i d e n t i f i e d v a r i o u s l y as the l e a d e r and the planner. She claimed to have been h a r a s s e d i n t o the group, to have been young and impressionable, a s t a t e she d e s c r i b e d as adolescent c r i s i s , and to have been worn down and molded by c o n s t a n t p r e s s u r e and abuse. She c l a i m s that her seeming vigour f o r r e v o l u t i o n a r y a c t i v i t y on the w i r e t a p s and bugs was not r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of her t r u e f e e l i n g s , but p a r t of an e f f o r t to appear tough i n order to ward o f f the c o n s t a n t c r i t i c i s m she was a v i c t i m of. She even went as f a r as to suggest she would have l e f t the group, c l a i m i n g she feared t o do so a f t e r reading M a r i g h e l l a ' s "Mini-Manual of the Urban G u e r i l l a " , where she claimed M a r i g h e l l a s a i d anyone l e a v i n g the g u e r i l l a must be l i q u i d ­ated.

I t i s important to note i n p a s s i n g t h a t M a r i g h e l l a didn't say t h i s . What he, i n f a c t , s a i d r e g a r d i n g l e a v i n g the g u e r i l l a was:

When he (a g u e r i l l a ) cannot f a c e the d i f f i c u l t i e s , or knows tha t he l a c k s the p a t i e n c e t o w a i t , i t i s b e t t e r to r e l e n -quish h i s r o l e before he b e t r a y s h i s pledge, f o r he c l e a r l y l a c k s the b a s i c q u a l i t i e s n e c e s s a r y to be a g u e r i l l a . "

While the purpose of J u l i e ' s patchwork s t o r y of l i e s , d i s t o r t i o n , and paranoia was c l e a r l y t o save her own a s s , the q u a l i t y of her

s t o r y , the degree to v;hich i t f i t s i n t o the standard S t a t e l i n e on g u e r i l l a p o l i t i c s , the degree to which i t i s t a i l o r e d f o r counter-insurgency , i n d i c a t e that she must have f a l l e n v i c t i m to f a i r l y i n ­tense p o l i c e pressure, t h a t she had become a pawn i n the l a r g e r p o l ­i c e s t r a t e g y . The long sentence that J u l i e was g i v e n was doubtless part of a s t r a t e g y to break her s p i r i t so t h a t she would be open to approaches from the S t a t e . Towards the end of having t h i s e x c e s s i v e sentence reduced, J u l i e was w i l l i n g to engage i n whatever g r o v e l l i n g was required and to p o r t r a y her former comrades, p a r t i c u l a r i l y Ann and Brent, both of whom had sentence appeals forthcoming, as deranged and i r r e s p o n s i b l e , i f not out and out r e m o r s e l e s s l y e v i l .

The outcome was p r e d i c t a b l e . Ann and Brent had t h e i r sentence appeals denied. J u l i e , f o r her p a r t , r e c e i v e d a 5 year r e d u c t i o n from 20 years to 15 f o r her propaganda r o l e i n the S t a t e ' s a t t a c k on Ann and Brent i n p a r t i c u l a r , and the g u e r i l l a i n g e n e r a l .

P r i s o n

with the end of the appeals came the end of the Vancouver 5 as a pub­l i c i s s u e and the comrades withdrew from the p u b l i c eye to s e r v e t h e i r sentences. I n Ann's case l i f e , i n Brent's 22 y e a r s , f o r Gerry 10, and Doug 6.

As was the case with the t r i a l s , the comrades have not used t h e i r p r i s o n time or the r e p r e s s i o n they f a c e there as a springboard f o r a d i s c u s s i o n of g u e r i l l a r e s i s t a n c e . Rather than a s s e r t i n g themselves as p o l i t i c a l p r i s o n e r s i n an ongoing way, they have a s s i m i l a t e d them­s e l v e s i n t o the anonymity of the p r i s o n m i l i e u . T h i s has l e d to a s i t u a t i o n where t h e i r courageous a c t s of r e s i s t a n c e and t h e i r e n t i r e s t r a t e g y as enunciated i n the communiques and the s e n t e n c i n g s t a t e ­ments have been a l l but forgotten by a l l save a few t i n y , i s o l a t e d pockets of supporters.

Conclusion

To sum up f the 5 and t h e i r supporters have thus f a r f a i l e d to p l a y t h e i r p o t e n t i a l r o l e i n advancing an understanding of armed s t r u g g l e w i t h i n the Canadian S t a t e . T h i s l a c k i s due to s e r i o u s shortcomings i n our p o l i t i c a l understanding of the elements a t p l a y . We f a i l e d to recognize and u t i l i z e the p o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r advancing the s t r a t e g y of armed s t r u g g l e a v a i l a b l e i n the t r i a l p r o c e s s . I n so doing the op­p o r t u n i t i e s opened up by the a c t i o n s of D i r e c t A c t i o n and the Wimmin's F i r e Brigade were l o s t , being r e p l a c e d by the m y s t i f y i n g demand of the " r i g h t to a f a i r t r i a l " , a demand which could l e a d no­where p o s i t i v e and served to l i q u i d a t e the key i s s u e of armed r e s i s ­tance i n Canada. Although the h i s t o r y of D i r e c t A c t i o n and the Wimmin's F i r e Brigade has doubtless l e f t i t s mark on the Canadian l e f t , although the concept of armed r e s i s t a n c e has been put on the agenda i n a p r a c t i c a l way so that i t w i l l never again be the non-i s s u e i t was p r i o r to t h i s experience, to date we have not r e a l l y overcome the p a c i f y i n g e f f e c t s of the p o l i t i c a l e r r o r s we have made. I t seems that both the 5 and t h e i r s upporters, having s u f f e r e d t h i s

defeat, have turned away from the discussion of armed struggle to focus their energy elsewhere.

If we are to overcome the errors we have made, we must critically examine these errors, we must critically examine the events surrounding Direct Action, the Wimmin's Fire Brigade and the Vancouver Five. As painful as it may be we must pinpoint the errors and shortcomings of both the prisoners and their supporters and deal with them honestly. We can learn by studying the national liberation struggles of Third and Fourth World peoples in the Third World, Western Europe and the USA, as well as by examining the history and current practice of the urban guerrilla movements in the USA and Western Europe. And, of course, we must face the responsibility of developing our own practice in Canada.

We have written the above not as an attack on the prisoners or their support community. We extend our love and solidarity to the imprisoned comrades who have contributed so much of themselves towards the realization of armed struggle in Canada. We also extend our love and solidarity to all who have worked to support the imprisoned comrades, and to all those who struggle for revolutionary change.

We cannot see any way to avoid certain criticisms given the current situation on the Canadian left. However, we have offered the above criticisms not as a personal attack on anyone, nor to create further divisions in the movement, but in the hope of creating a genuine discussion about the experiences of armed resistance and in the hope of pushing the struggle forward.

"It is better to err acting than to do nothing for fear of erring. Without initiative there is no guerrilla warfare." Carlos Marighella