Pierre Trudeau 's Actions And Decisions

French and English Canadians wanted. Laurier wanted to promote national unity in order to protect

Pierre Trudeau was Prime Minister from April 20, 1968, to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980, to June 30, 1984. He was known as a womanizer and a super star. This was extremely odd for a Canadian politician getting this much attention especially in this time period. While he was an entertainer and a bachelor, he was also a very smart man. He began his journey into joining the liberal party and was appointed Lester B. Pearson’s parliamentary secretary and later became

Pierre Trudeau is one of Canada’s most renowned Prime Ministers. He was in office April 20, 1968, to June 4, 1979, and later on March 3, 1980, to June 30, 1984,.¹ An event that Pierre Trudeau is well known for is the enactment of the War Measures Act during the October Crisis. This decision to invoke the War Measures Act during the October Crisis has led to a great deal of controversy on whether the act was justified. The October Crisis was a series of events in October 1970, these events began with the kidnappings of James Cross and later Pierre Laporte by the group known as the FLQ (Front de libération du Québec) the group’s main goals were to create an independent Quebec.2 The group resorted to terrorist acts in order to achieve those goals, this later led to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau invoking the War Measures Act. The War Measures Act was a federal statute adopted by parliament during WWI and has been used 3 times; during WWI, WWII and during the October Crisis. The act gives major power to the Canadian government to uphold security during times of great distress.3 Pierre Trudeau was justified in enacting the War Measures Act during the October Crisis. One reason that Pierre Trudeau was justified in invoking the War Measures Act is that the FLQ was essentially a terrorist organization responsible for the deaths and injuries of countless people. Since the group was formed in the early 1960’s, the terrorist group’s acts had only worsened from mailbox bombings to

“Just watch me” are the defiant words uttered by Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau in response to the Front de liberation du Quebec (FLQ), a Marxist group who captained Quebec independence through indiscriminate political violence. His words are not those of an iron-fisted strongman, despite how strong and undetailed his comments were at the time, but those of a calculated and well-versed leader, whose decisions came at the behest of prominent Quebec politicians. The FLQ instilled a decade of social violence in the streets of Quebec by systemically championing the struggles of French minorities who perceived unjust treatment in everyday life. Their qualms quickly evolved from protest to a Marxist movement, which incorporated

The Front de Libération du Québec, or the FLQ was the main group that was responsible for the October Crisis. This group of French Canadians were violent to reach their goals. FLQ members were trained by revolutionaries who supported Che Guevara, and some were trained by Palestinian commandos. They’ve committed 200 violent actions, have robbed banks, and participated in bombings. Not only did they commit those actions but they also kidnapped British Trade Commissioner James Cross and kidnapped Pierre Laporte. Laporte was found dead on October 17, 1970 which led to Prime Minister Trudeau broadcasting the FLQ manifesto and transporting five FLQ terrorists to Cuba to release James Cross. The government responded to this crisis by implementing the War Measures Act. This gave the government the power to take people’s civil rights away. They responded with the crisis using the War Measures Act as they believed that the people wanted to overthrow the Canadian government. French-English relations were greatly affected from the October

Criticisms of Trudeau were harsh during this time as many saw him as taking his response too far by allowing the army to have so much freedom in Quebec. When asked how far he was willing to go to maintain enforced peace in the province, he simply replied, “Well, just watch me.” The unmoving and uncompromising authority of the government removed the head of the FLQ by removing its leaders. Without the motivation and encouragement of their most vocal and cunning directors, the FLQ dissolved. Investigations concerning those involved in the crimes of the FLQ prior to and during the October crisis continued for fifteen subsequent

Pierre Elliot Trudeau was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada. He served as Prime Minister from April 1968 to June 1984. During his time in office, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau introduced many new policies. Pierre Trudeau’s policies on the economy, the environment and multiculturalism greatly benefitted Canada.

For some time, many Quebecois had faith in the FLQ, believing the group would speed the process of separation from Canada; however the FLQ’s loyalty to these beliefs is questionable. Ultimately, it was perceived that the FLQ’s only goal was to give Quebec its justice; they wanted to see them united in a free society. On the other hand, during the October Crisis, they had not been able to prove that. When the FLQ kidnapped British diplomat James Cross, it publicized 7 demands, of which only one concerned French-Canadians, pertaining to fairer working conditions which was later dropped (Tetley, 2007). The rest concerned the FLQ themselves: publication of the Manifesto (a public declaration of policy and aims), the name of an informer, $500,000 in gold, the release of 23 jailed terrorists, and to transport them to either Algeria or Cuba (Knowlton, 1990). A goal of Quebec’s at the time, the protection of the French language, was a cause that preoccupied much of the nation, but was not a particular concern for the FLQ. In fact, the 1970 Manifesto was written in and proclaimed in informal French and “Fringlish” (Knowlton, 1990). The FLQ’s dedication to their cause is doubtful. FLQ believed that they weren’t going to get caught, hence their slogan “Independence or death” (Brown, 2011). However, when justice prevailed, the members chose exile rather than martyrdom. This made it clear that the FLQ’s dedication

Under the sweeping authority of the act, 465 Canadians were so rounded up. A day later, on Saturday October 17th, the body of Pierre Laporte was found stuffed in the trunk of a green Chevrolet. In Ottawa, government sources said the FLQ assassinated Laporte because War Measures was enacted. The tension that night was palpable. John Turner, the minister of justice, looked distraught. In his office, Trudeau ministers Gerard Pelletier and Jean Marchand were weeping openly at the death of an old friend and colleague. Early in December 1970, police discovered the location of the kidnappers holding James Cross. He was released after his FLQ captors were given safe passage to Cuba. Four weeks later Paul Rose and the kidnappers of Pierre Laporte were found in the corner of a country basement. They were tried and convicted for kidnapping and murder. The October Crisis was the first time in Canadian history the state itself, both in Ottawa and in Quebec City, was held to ransom by extremists and terrorists. It was also the first time, in peace time, that Ottawa invoked War Measures. It was a drastic step to take and one laced with very dangerous side effects. In the guilt-by-association atmosphere engendered by War Measures hysteria, the terrorism and extremism of the separatist FLQ tarnished all separatist movements in Quebec. Also, Rene

Pierre Trudeau is the greatest Canadian of the twentieth century due to the fact that he declared Canada’s independence from Great Britain, he abolished the death penalty, and he created the Official Languages Act, making our nation entirely bilingual.

In October 1970, Canada faced a pressing terrorist attack in Montreal, Quebec by a group known as the Front de Liberation du Quebec, or the FLQ for short. The group committed multiple attacks starting in 1963 that slowly escalated until the October Crisis, where they kidnapped two government officials and proceeded to murder one of them. The Canadian government responded harshly and rapidly. The prime minister of Canada, Pierre Trudeau, issued the War Measures Act which along with various things allowed the police and military full reign to arrest people and hold them with no explanation. The Canadian population was highly supportive of the government’s action believing that this extreme state repression would bring a finish to the October

Pierre Elliot Trudeau was arguably one of the most vivacious and charismatic Prime Ministers Canada has ever seen. He wore capes, dated celebrities and always wore a red rose boutonniere. He looked like a superhero, and often acted like one too. Some of the landmark occurrences in Canadian history all happened during the Trudeau era, such as patriating the constitution, creating the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the 1980 Quebec Referendum. However, it is Trudeau’s 1969 “white paper” and the Calder legal challenge which many consider to be one of his most influential contributions to Canadian history.

In the midst of the October Crisis Pierre Trudeau handled the time of terrorism well. In this essay one will see how Trudeau handled the crisis excellently by examining the first domestic use of the War Measures Act which led to improvements on the Act, ensuring that Quebec did not become its own independent country, and how Canada stood behind and supported Quebec and Pierre Trudeau through the acts of violence led by the FLQ.

The FLQ’s belief in overcoming the status quo by force led to unquestionable and unnecessary violence in Quebec which maimed and killed, but provided no logical progression in their motives. The FLQ were most effective in using uncalculated, small bombings to instill a sense of prolonged terror into communities. This fear tactic was most apparent in the early formation of the group in the early 1960’s, where materials were easy to steal and affordable. Their bombing campaign was most abundant as a fear tactic in labour disputes, it being stated, “A bomb was place in a Place d’Armes office building in Montreal… During November FLQ bombs were placed at the Domtar Company, Lord and Company, Standard Structural Steel, Eaton’s Department Store and government liquor stores” (Ross, 1995). These tactics resembled guerilla warfare tactics, and presented a dangerous falsity that they were fighting for the oppressed. It became clear that these bombings were terroristic acts and an assault on the safety and wellbeing of all Canadians, regardless of association or ethnicity. Ross later goes on to state a dastardlier proclamation, “The FLQ had received help from the Cuban government” (Ross, 1995). Turning much of the

The FLQ manifesto is a political manifesto that sought to promote Quebecoi independence and the rejection of Liberal party policy, which focused primarily on big business and private investment. Released in what was one of Canada’s most politically turbulent period, the document provides key insights into the FLQ organization demands and to the broader discussion taking place in Quebec society. The document was produced by the front de liberation du Quebec, a left wing organization that advocated for separatist policies beginning in the early 1960’s. Politically energized in the inner city college campuses, the organization resorted to public bombings designed not to hurt but to instill fear into society. They pushed a narrative of Francophile