Canada's Greek Moment: Transnational Politics, Activists, and Spies During the Long Sixties

This dissertation examines Greek immigrant homeland politics during the period of Greeces military dictatorship, 1967 to 1974, in Toronto and Montreal. It carefully considers the internal dynamics of anti-junta activism in Canadas Greek populations, but it also contemplates the meanings of external perceptions, particularly from the Canadian state and Canadian public discourse. The study acknowledges the dominant paradigm of Greek immigrants as unskilled workers, however, it demonstrates that this archetype is not monolithic. In many ways, it is challenged by a small number of Greeks who possessed skills to write letters to politicians, create petitions, organize public rallies, and politically mobilize others. At the same time, this dissertation carefully considers Canadas social and political environment and shows how uniquely Canadian politics ran parallel to and informed Greek homeland politics. Transnationalism is used as an analytical tool, which challenges the meaning of local/national borders and the perception that they are sealed containers. The main argument expressed here is that environments shape movements and migrant political culture does not develop in a vacuum.

Each chapter deals with specific nuances of anti-junta activism in Toronto and Montreal. Chapter One examines the organized voices of the Greek communitys anti-dictatorship movement. The chapters latter section looks at how the Panhellenic Liberation Movement (PAK), led by Andreas Papandreou, consolidated itself as the main mouthpiece against Greeces authoritarian regime. Chapter Two demonstrates that social movements occurring in Canada meshed neatly with anti-junta sentiment, mobilizing many Canadians against the dictatorship. Chapter Three shows how a few skilled Greeks shaped transnational narratives of resistance in local Greek leftist press. Chapters Four and Five examine RCMP surveillance documents related to local politics in Toronto and Montreal. In doing so, the chapters reveal that regional circumstances, particularly Quebecs Quiet Revolution, shaped security concerns and definitions of Greek subversive activities. Overall, Canadas Greek moment was a complex tale of activism, surveillance, and transnational politics.