FLQ Crisis Essay -- essays research papers

On October 5, 1970, British trade commissioner James Cross was kidnapped in his Westmount home by members of the terrorist grouping Front de liberation du Quebec. The FLQ Manifesto called for non-democratic separation to be brought about by comes of terror. From 1963 to 1967, the FLQ planted 35 bombs from 1968 to 1970 they planted over 50 bombs. By the inclination of 1970 the terrorist acts of the FLQ cells had claimed 6 lives. The kidnappers demands included the release of a number of convicted or detained FLQ members and the broadcasting of the FLQ Manifesto. The Manifesto was read on Radio-Canada. Then, on October 10th, the Quebec minister of justice guaranteed full passage to anywhere in the world for the kidnappers in exchange for the unassailable release of Cross. That same day capital of South Dakota Laporte, a famed Quebec newsperson, causation of The True Face of Duplessis, and the minister of immigration and labour in the Quebec government, was kidnapped by a differ ent FLQ cell on the lawn of his suburban home. Laportes kidnapping triggered a phone call from Liberal Premier Robert Bourassa asking Prime parson Pierre Trudeau to prep be the Canadian Armed Forces for action in Quebec and to state War Measures. Two years later, October 12, Trudeau summoned armed troops to guard potential difference targets in Ottawa and Montreal such as cabinet ministers, John Diefenbaker, who was on the FLQ hit list, and federal official buildings. On the following day, October 13, Peter Reilly of CJOH and I were at the west door of the Centre Block of the House of Commons. Reilly was asking Trudeau just about basic questions in a laconic, unemotional style about the force and tanks being in Ottawa. Suddenly we were joined by CBC reporter Tim Ralfe who asked Trudeau a very emotional question about his decision to jaw the War Measures hazard. Pierre Trudeau interviewAn angry Trudeau replied "Theres a lot of release hearts around who just dont like to see people with helmets and guns. alone I can say is go on and bleed." "How far are you going to go?" Ralfe insisted."Just watch me" said Trudeau. And Canadians across the terra firma watched as, at 3 oclock in the morning, Friday, October 16, Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act. The Press Gallery was packed. Trudeau was careful, cold, analytic - and brilliant. The invocation of the War Measures Act meant the suspension of traditional Canadian polished l... ...erre LaPorte, the Quebec take care of Labour, and James Cross, The British Trade Commissioner to Canada, were kidnapped by the FLQ. Prime Minister Trudeau put into effect the War Measures Act for the first time in Canadian history during peace time. He did this without consulting parliament. However, parliament voted three days later to approve the use of the act. The civil liberties of the citizens of Canada were suspended while the act was in force. In a few cities, officials used the WMA to clean up the streets, picking up "undesirables" and throwing them into jail. More than 450 people were jailed in Quebec for pretend connections to the FLQ. Most were later released without any charges being laid. After the War Measures Act was put into effect, no other public figures in Canada were kidnapped. Eventually Pierre Laporte was murdered by his captors and Cross was released unharmed after his kidnappers were flown to exile in Cuba. But for many in Quebec, the question was raised what might the federal government do if Quebec ever did decide to leave Canada... the use of the host in the streets and the loss of civil liberties left a bad sagaciousness in many peoples mouths.