The FLQ: The October Crisis and Its Impact on Canada

THE FLQ The October Crisis and its affect on our culturally divided country.

Who Or What Is The FLQ? • “The Front De Liberation Du Quebec.” • They were a Terrorist group in Canada • Separatists – believed in Quebec as a nation separate from Canada • Responsible for • More than 200 bombings • Death of at least 5 people • October, 1970 = October Crisis

Quiet Revolution • 1960 – 1966 • Led by Jean Lesage Premier of Quebec • Lesage fed the desires of Quebecers to gain special status within Confederation • Views of Quebecers became more nationalistic and secular • Politics in Quebec began to differentiate itself from the French Catholic Church • French Canadians became Quebecers • Beginning of the Separatist movement • Contributed to FLQ Crisis

ORGANIZATION OF THE FLQ • The organization of the FLQ was in cells • Members only concerned with their individual cells • If a member was caught they didn’t know the whole story • Each cell specialized in different tasks • The police didn’t know which cell had kidnapped the officials, making it harder to locate them.

Training of the FLQ • Some members trained in other countries in guerrilla warfare • Could hide in cities and attack in silence • Very tactical in combat approach • Also trained for tactical bombings and sniper like attacks with normal guns

OCTOBER CRISIS • Name given to the events which occurred in Quebec in 1970 • Included kidnapping of Canadian diplomats by members of the FLQ

The Kidnapping of James Cross • British Trade Commissioner • Kidnapped on October 5, 1970 by the “Liberation Cell” of the FLQ • Kidnapping left police with list of demands

THE DEMANDS • 1.End of police search • 2.Publication of an FLQ manifesto • 3.Rehiring of the Lapalme employees • 4.Liberation of all political prisoners (23 FLQ members) • 5.Denunciation of the informer who had led the police to the capture of a cell of the FLQ in June of 1970 • 6.$500 000 in gold • 7. Safe-conducts out of the country.

Kidnapping of Pierre Laporte • Minister of Labour and Vice Premier of Quebec • Kidnapped on October 10, 1970 by the “Chenier Cell” of the FLQ • Wrote letter to Quebec Premier, Robert Bourassa, pleading for his life • Executed October 17 - strangled to death and dumped in the trunk of an abandoned car

Meeting the Demands • The Canadian government broadcasted the FLQ manifesto on October 8th, 1970 • Policemen lined the streets of Quebec cities • On October 15th, Quebec government invited the Canadian Armed Forces to Quebec to assist the local police • The police search did not end and political prisoners were never released

WAR MEASURES ACT • Enforced on October 16th 1970. • Invoked to find and stop FLQ members • Emplaced throughout all of Canada, but took action in Quebec • Police were to arrest those who were suspected of belonging to the FLQ or supported the FLQ through literature, posters, stickers, or pamphlets. • Outlawed FLQ • Suspended Civil Liberties • 497 persons arrested, of whom 435 would be released, the other 62 were charged

Controversy of the War Measures Act • Jeopardized the civil rights of Canadian citizens • Police had power to arrest and put in detention on suspicion alone • Despite controversy 85% of Canadians agreed with invoking act • 3 days before the act was invoked Trudeau was asked how far he was willing to go to stop the FLQ, he responded with: “JUST WATCH ME”

Challenging the WMA • The majority of Canadians supported it. • Tommy Douglas, the NDP Premier of Saskatchewan did not • “The government is using a sledgehammer to crush a peanut.”

The WMA in the past • Enacted in 1914 • During WWI used to target “enemy aliens” • Thousands interned • Used in WWII to intern 22,00 Japanese Canadians, again as Enemy Aliens

Meeting the Demands After Laporte’s Death • After the execution of Pierre Laporte, negotiations were reached between police and the FLQ • James Cross was released and 5 known members of the FLQ were flown to Cuba by Canadian Forces

The Capturing of the FLQ • All 4 members of the FLQ’s Chénier cell were captured and charged with the kidnapping and murder of Pierre Laporte • This included Paul Rose, Jacques Rose, Frances Simard, and Bernard Lortie

The Analysis of the WMA • The WMA was almost immediately modified to require a house of Commons vote of approval and in 1971 it was replaced by the Public Order Bill. • In 1988 it was again modified and became the Emergencies Act. The Emergencies Act must have Parliaments approval and adhere to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. • “any attempt by the government to suspend the civil rights of Canadians, even in an emergency, will be subject to the "reasonable and justified" test under section 1 of the Charter”

Quotes “We are going to win because there are more boys ready to shoot members of Parliament than there are policemen” ~Michel Chartrand, Radical Separtist and FLQ supporter “The Army occupies Quebec. It is unpleasant but undoubtedly necessary in times of crisis.” ~ René Lévesque, Future Premier of Quebec

The FLQ: The October Crisis and Its Impact on Canada