Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to potentially invoke the Emergencies Act in the wake of the Freedom Convoy occupation in Ottawa and its subsequent spin-off demonstrations across Canada and around the world.
Now, we can reflect back to the last time this act was used – during the October Crisis in 1970 by his father Pierre Elliot Trudeau – to learn more about how Canada has historically reacted to threats from within our borders.
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Whether this is the first time you’ve heard about it or it rings a bell from your high school history class, let’s take a look at what was happening in Canada back in October of 1970 and why the act was used more than 50 years ago when it triggered a huge police and military response to a crisis on Canadian soil.
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What is the Emergencies Act?
In a nutshell, the Emergencies Act authorizes “special temporary measures to ensure safety and security during national emergencies.”
Still, even though these measures “may not be appropriate in normal times,” they must always continue to respect the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Bill of Rights – so it’s by no means a government free-for-all and people still have protection.
The act used to be called the War Measures Act. It was used in Canada by then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau on October 16, 1970, during the October Crisis.
The October Crisis of 1970
In the fall of 1970, Quebec was the epicentre of the crisis. A local terrorist organization called the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) made the jump from small-scale vandalism and robberies to bombing incidents. Some of them were deadly.
The group’s actions intensified and the FLQ kidnapped two people. First, British trade commissioner James Cross was held for ransom.
Although there was a significant lead-up to this first kidnapping, it is considered the unofficial start of the October Crisis.
In exchange for Cross’s release, the FLQ asked for the release of 23 of its members, for its manifesto to be broadcast and published, passage to Cuba or Algeria, and it also asked for $500,000.
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Five days later, Quebec cabinet minister Pierre Laporte (pictured above) was abducted by the FLQ. He would later be murdered.
Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau
Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act on October 16, 1970, after the FLQ kidnappings.
Under the new emergency provisions, the FLQ was outlawed. It was a crime just to be a member of the organization at this point. Police were able to make arrests and detentions without charges as some civil liberties were suspended amidst the crisis.
Canada was essentially under martial law and hundreds were arrested.
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The end of the October Crisis
The unofficial end of the crisis isn’t until December 28, 1970, when key FLQ members are arrested and charged with the murder of Laporte.
What is the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ)?
The French arrived in Quebec nearly 500 years ago, whereas Canada has only been a country for the last 150 years.
So it’s an understatement to say that Quebec has its own deep cultural roots. There are historical and present-day movements for the province to be independent of Canada.
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The FLQ was an independence movement that was militant in its organization and approach – not afraid to use violence and terrorism to try to achieve its goal of an independent Quebec.
They were responsible for more than 200 bombings in Quebec between 1963 and 1970.
There were several high-profile bombing targets hit by the FLQ in Montreal including:
- A CN Railway Line
- National Revenue building
- The Canadian Armed Forces recruiting centre
- The CIBC in Montreal
- The Stock Exchange
- Eaton’s Department Store
- The mayor’s home
- Montreal City Hall
- Several deadly mailbox bombings
- and many more
More about Canada’s October Crisis of 1970
If you’re curious to learn more, there are a ton of films available to stream for free online on this topic. The National Film Board of Canada has an entire section dedicated to The October Crisis of 1970.
Action: The October Crisis of 1970, Robin Spry, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
Also, the Canadian Encyclopedia has a useful timeline of the events in the crisis to learn more.
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