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"Beginning" of the October Crisis
James Cross, British Trade Commissioner was kidnapped early in the morning by two armed men. By three p.m. in the afternoon, ransom notes had been received. They identified the abductors as the Liberation cell of the Front de Libération du Québec (FLQ). A list of demands was given for Cross' release including:the release of 23 "political prisoners", payment of $500,000 in gold, and the broadcast and the publication of the FLQ manifesto. -
Period: to
October Crisis
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Joint Duties
Henri Bourassa, premier of Quebec and Pierre Trudeau (Prime Minister) agree that negotiations should be joint. Trudeau declared the negotiations unreasonable and Bourassa supported this stance to the terrorist requests. -
Spread of the FLQ's Manifesto
FLQ's Manifesto FLQ's Manifesto was read on CBC's French radio. This was extremely important as it showed the severity of the issue and the message was now widespread. -
Laporte Kidnapped
Pierre Laporte, Minister of Labour and vice premier, was kidnapped from his home while playing football with his nephew. The kidnapping occurred withing an hour of the FLQ's deadline to release prisoners. He was kidnapped by members of the "chenier cell". This caused the October Crisis to make significant gains in level of importance on both provincial and national scale. It is important to note the freedom of both individuals was stressed by the FLQ if the 23 prisoners were released. -
Troops sent to Ottawa
The army was sent in to gaurd Ottawa, this decision caused a lot of heat for Trudeau as it severely weakened perceptions of Canada and Quebec's ability to manage. -
Troops sent to Quebec
Henri Bourassa and Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau requested assistance from the Armed forces in Quebec. This caused the levels of panic to grow as well In the evening, a rally of about 3,000 students was held at a Montreal arena. The students urged the governments to negotiate with the kidnappers. At the meeting, many expressed sympathy with the cause of the FLQ. This boisterous show of support for the FLQ worried the authorities greatly -
Negotiations?...
At 9 pm, an announcement in Quebec City, by a government official, indicated that the provincial government was prepared to recommend the release on parole of 5 of the so-called "political prisoners" who were eligible for such a parole. The government also offered to the FLQ kidnappers that, if the hostages were safely returned, a safe-conduct out of Canada would be given to the kidnappers. -
War Measures Act Invoked
Prime Minister Trudeau, after hearing no response for Bourassa's offer, invoked the War Measures Act. It was the first time other than WWI and WWII the emergency legislation had been used. Civil liberties were suspended and any perceived threats were arrested without warrant. This caused a large debate based on rights violations and some went as far as to compare the use of the act to the Japanese internment of WWII. The population was torn betwen supporting the decision or criticizing it. -
Execution of Laporte
In a message that wasn't made public, the FLQ announces that British diplomat Cross's execution has been indefinitely suspended and that he will be henceforth considered a political prisoner.
However....
Labour Minister Laporte's body is found in the trunk of a car near the air force base in Saint-Hubert, on Montreal's South Shore. This was a revenge act based on the invocation of the War Measures Act. -
Chenier Cell threatened
Arrest warrants are issued for three prominent FLQ members, all of them from the Chénier cell, which kidnapped Laporte. They were Jacques Rose, Bernard Lortie and Francis Simard are all wanted on accusations of kidnapping and murder. -
Pierre Laporte's Funeral
This event is extremely important because it gave a public view of the extreme danger associated with the FLQ. -
Backlash
Quebec's biggest labour federations jointly denounce the imposition of the War Measures Act. -
Chenier Cell infultrated
Police raid the suspeted location of the "Chenier Cell." One of Laporte's kidnappers, Bernard Lortie, is found in an apartment in Montreal's Côte des Neiges neighbourhood. The three other primary suspects are able to escape. -
Cross Released
James Cross was freed by police action from his eight-by-14 room on des Récollets Street in Montreal North. Negotiations with the abductors led to his release and their obtaining a safe-conduct to Cuba in exchange. Cross had been captive for 59 days. The following day, the FLQ members exiled to Cuba were declared there for life. -
Trudeau removes Troops
Prime Minister Trudeau announces that Canadian Forces soldiers will be withdrawn from Quebec on Jan. 4. The War Measures Act remained in effect until April, however it was not strongly felt and opposed in the aftermath. -
FLQ Diminished
FLQ members Paul Rose, his brother Jacques Rose and Francis Simard are arrested on a farm south of Montreal. Paul Rose and Francis Simard are later convicted in the kidnapping and murder of Pierre Laporte, while Jacques Rose is found guilty of being an accessory after the fact. The FLQ were no longer considered such a dramatic threat, however the October Crisis changed internal relations and politics for many years to come
