1960 ’ s Quebec: Separatism

1. 1960’s Quebec: Separatism • resentment towards English-speaking Canada grew • as francophone Quebeckers became proud of their achievements – became angrier at what they perceived as injustices by English-speaking Canadians – i.e. • federal government overwhelmingly English; • French rarely held Cabinet posts; • no French schools in the rest of Canada; • Francophones expected to speak English in stores and at work • for some – only solution was for Quebec to be entirely controlled by Quebeckers – in separation from Canada

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

3. 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

4. Separatism - FLQ • some young radicals – joined terrorist groups like the FLQ (front de liberation du Québec) and fought in the name of “Québec libre”– a “free” Québec • Ready to rely on violence to achieve their goals:used firebombs and explosives to attack symbols of English-Canadian power in Québec • most notably – March 7, 1963 – 3 Canadian army buildings in Montreal were bombed with Molotov cocktails (homemade firebombs) • FLQ claimed responsibility

5. 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

6. How did Quebeckers react? • Most Quebec Nationalists disagreed with the violent methods of the FLQ. Instead, they wanted to achieve results through peaceful ways. • However, many still agreed with the ideas in the FLQ manifesto: namely, that the English minority held all positions of power in Quebec and that the French majority was disadvantaged.

7. 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

8. THE DEMANDS • Publication of the FLQ manifesto • Liberation of all political prisoners (23 FLQ members) •     Denunciation of the informer who had led the police to the capture of a cell of the FLQ in June of 1970 •      $500 000 in gold • Safe-escort out of the country

9. The Government’s Response… • allows the Manifesto to be broadcast to the public BUT • Announced it would not release any prisoners • Offered to allow kidnappers safe passage to another country only if they released Cross

10. 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

11. WAR MEASURES ACT • Trudeau did not want to negotiate with terrorists. He did not want to show any weaknesses from his government’s inability to deal with the problem. He declared Quebec was in a state of “apprehended insurrection”and enforced the Act 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

12. 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”