Photo Credit: Getty Images
In a rare and unsettling development, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have charged four men, including active-duty members of the Canadian Armed Forces, in connection with an alleged plot to establish an anti-government militia and forcibly seize land near Quebec City. The charges, made public on Tuesday, follow an 18-month-long investigation led by Quebec's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team.
According to official RCMP statements, the accused—Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, Simon Angers-Audet, 24, Raphaël Lagacé, 25, and Matthew Forbes, 33—are believed to have conducted military-style training operations between 2021 and 2024. These activities included shooting drills, survival exercises, ambush training, and covert scouting missions. "The three accused were planning to create an anti-government militia," said RCMP Corporal Erique Gasse. "They took part in tactical operations and used prohibited firearms and equipment."
The January 2024 raids across Quebec City, Montreal, Petawawa, and Rolphton resulted in the seizure of 83 firearms, 16 explosive devices, nearly 11,000 rounds of ammunition, and a variety of high-capacity magazines and military-grade tools, including night-vision equipment and smoke grenades. One of the most striking individual charges was laid against Mr. Lagacé, who is accused of illegally storing 50 firearms and 47 magazines.
While the RCMP did not elaborate on the specific ideology behind the plot, authorities suggested the group was driven by a broad anti-authority and anti-government mindset. "Ideologically motivated extremisms are not always clear-cut," said Staff Sergeant Camille Habel. "In this case, the core ideology was anti-authority."
One suspect is also alleged to have managed a private Instagram account aimed at recruiting like-minded individuals. Investigators have since moved to shut down the account. Staff Sgt. Habel confirmed that certain military-issued items were diverted by the suspects and later recovered in the raids. She emphasized that the suspects had been under close surveillance following the seizures and that public safety was never compromised.
Carleton University national-security expert Professor Leah West called the case "unlike any terrorism prosecution we've seen in Canada," citing the organized amassing of firepower and extended surveillance as notable aspects. "It's the deliberate planning and scale of weaponry that elevates the threat," she said.
None of the allegations have been proven in court. The four accused are expected to appear in a Quebec City courtroom, where a detailed examination of the evidence will determine the legal trajectory of the case.
