The recent events made me recall Prime Minister Trudeau's quick and decisive response to the FLQ terrorists in Quebec in the October Crisis 1970: <The War Measures Act was last invoked by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau on October 16, 1970, to deal with the FLQ terrorist threat -- the first and only peacetime implementation of such sweeping powers. The Front de Liberation du Quebec had kidnapped British diplomat James Cross, who was later released, and Liberal cabinet minister Pierre Laporte, who was slain. During the crisis, Canadian troops were ordered to protect public figures, and 497 possible suspects were arbitrarily rounded up and arrested in an attempt to break the FLQ cell structure.> War Measures Act BY THE PRIME MINISTER Pierre Elliott Trudeau FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1970 <I am speaking to you at a moment of grave crisis, when violent and fanatical men are attempting to destroy the unity and the freedom of Canada.> <These are matters of the utmost gravity and I want to tell you what the Government is doing to deal with them.What has taken place in Montreal in the past two weeks is not unprecedented. It has happened elsewhere in the world on several recent occasions; it could happen elsewhere within Canada. But Canadians have always assumed that it could not happen here and as a result we are doubly shocked that it has. Our assumption may have been naive, but it was understandable; understandable because democracy flourishes in Canada understandable because individual liberty is cherished in Canada. Notwithstanding these conditions - partly because of them - it has now been demonstrated to us by a few misguided persons just how fragile a democratic society can be, if democracy is not prepared to defend itself, and just how vulnerable to blackmail are tolerant, compassionate people.> <Let me turn now to the broader implications of the threat represented by the FLQ and similar organizations. If a democratic society is to continue to exist, it must be able to root out the cancer of an armed, revolutionary movement that is bent on destroying the very basis of our freedom. For that reason the Government, following an analysis of the facts, including requests of the Government of Quebec and the City of Montreal for urgent action, decided to proclaim the War Measures Act. It did so at 4:00 a.m. this morning, in order to permit the full weight of Government to be brought quickly to bear on all those persons advocating or practicing violence as a means of achieving political ends. The War Measures Act gives sweeping powers to the Government. It also suspends the operation of the Canadian Bill of Rights. I can assure you that the Government is most reluctant to seek such powers, and did so only when it became crystal clear that the situation could not be controlled unless some extraordinary assistance was made available on an urgent basis. The authority contained in the Act will permit Governments to deal effectively with the nebulous yet dangerous challenge to society represented by the terrorist organizations. The criminal law as it stands is simply not adequate to deal with systematic terrorism. The police have therefore been given certain extraordinary powers necessary for the effective detection and elimination of conspiratorial organizations which advocate the use of violence. These organizations, and membership in them, have been declared illegal. The powers include the right to search and arrest without warrant, to detain suspected persons without the necessity of laying specific charges immediately, and to detain persons without bail. These are strong powers and I find them as distasteful as I am sure do you. They are necessary, however, to permit the police to deal with persons who advocate or promote the violent overthow of our democratic system. In short, I assure you that the Government recognizes its grave responsibilities in interfering in certain cases with civil liberties, and that it remains answerable to the people of Canada for its actions. The Government will revoke this proclamation as soon as possible. As I said in the House of Commons this morning, the government will allow sufficient time to pass to give it the necessary experience to assess the type of statute which may be required in the present circumstances.> Listen to Trudeau's famous impromptu answer to a reporter who challenged what he had decided to do. http://www.cbc.ca/clips/ram-newsworld/trudeau_watchme.ram Though Trudeau was accused as arrogant and tyrannical by a few Canadians, the facts remain that he thoroughly broke the back of FLQ terrorism in Canada. Shane
