[mike777]

Al_U_Card, on May 3 2007, 01:21 PM, said:

Here, in Canada, after the Westmount bombings and the diplomat kidnappings/murder in 1970, Pierre Trudeau declared the War Measures Act.  It has a time limit and numerous safeguards so as not to be overly abused.  Many suspected "terrorists" were arrested and held without charges for several days and weeks.  It was only years later that it came out that one of the "separatist-leaning" Quebec politicians was actually a federal government informant......

Politics is like a box of chocolates....whatever you get, if you get too much of it, it will likely make you sick in no time. 

You never said were they caught? Everyone that was guilty? If so how long did they get in jail?

Did the guilty get away with murder and kidnapping, slap on the wrist, death penalty?

[Al_U_Card]

My memory is faded, but you could google the names and it will probably fill you in. This situation was commonly referred to as "The October Crisis"

James Cross, the British diplomat, was kidnapped but released.

Pierre Laporte, the politician, was killed during his captivity.

The killer (Jacques Rose) was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

The guilty co-conspirators, based on a negotiated release of Mr. Cross, were exiled to Cuba (yes! but not Guantanamo....) but they returned after a few years (they were homesick) and were incarcerated for a number of years.

here is link from a community college history department

http://www2.marianopolis.edu/quebechistory...nos/october.htm

Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, who I had the pleasure of meeting, is fairly famous for the following quote...

It was on this day that answering questions and comments put to him by CBC’s Tim Ralfe and Peter Reilly of CJOH-TV, Pierre Trudeau declared: "Yes, well there are a lot of bleeding hearts around who just don’t like to see people with helmets and guns. All I can say is, go on and bleed, but it is more important to keep law and order in the society than to be worried about weak-kneed people who don’t like the looks of..." He further added: "I think the society must take every means at its disposal to defend itself against the emergence of a parallel power which defies the elected power in this country and I think that this goes to any distance".. Challenged to state just how far he would go, Trudeau stated defiantly: "Well, just watch me".

The bold is mine, but the US might just apply this to the neocons before they take over completely.....

and here is the jist of the impact on civil liberty
In the regulations issued under the War Measures Act, the Front de Libération du Québec was declared an unlawful association. A person who was a member to this group, acted or supported it in some fashion became liable to a jail term not to exceed five years [s. 4]. A person arrested for such a purpose could be held without bail for up to ninety days [s. 6]. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, proof that you are a member of the unlawful association is shown by attending a meeting of the FLQ, to speak publicly "in advocacy" of the unlawful association or to communicate statements on behalf of the FLQ.

There was widespread editorial approval of the action taken by the federal government; only Claude Ryan, in Le Devoir, condemned it as did René Lévesque, leader of the Parti Québécois. Polls taken shortly afterwards, showed that there was as much as 92% approval for the action taken by the Federal government.

October 16-18, 1970 Within 48 hours of the proclamation of the War Measures Act, over 250 people were arrested. Among them were some of the better known labour leaders, entertainers and writers in the province. Thirty-six of those arrested were members of the Parti Québécois. By October 31, the number arrested passed 400. The police is reported to have carried out 1,628 raids by October 20. By the end of the year, 468 will have been arrested. Eventually 408 will be released without charges being laid; only two people were sentenced.

[mike777]

Al_U_Card, on May 3 2007, 04:11 PM, said:

My memory is faded, but you could google the names and it will probably fill you in. This situation was commonly referred to as "The October Crisis"

James Cross, the British diplomat, was kidnapped but released.

Pierre Laporte, the politician, was killed during his captivity.

The killer (Jacques Rose) was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

The guilty co-conspirators, based on a negotiated release of Mr. Cross, were exiled to Cuba (yes! but not Guantanamo....) but they returned after a few years (they were homesick) and were incarcerated for a number of years.

here is link from a community college history department

http://www2.marianopolis.edu/quebechistory...nos/october.htm

Interesting, in this country if someone is killed in commission of a crime, all involved are guilty of the murder, not just the one who pulls the trigger. It seems here one or more were just sent home (Cuba)?

It would be interesting to learn if the guilty were punished and for how long. Perhaps that is just some culture bias on my part.

[Al_U_Card]

I added the extra stuff to my previous post, if you are still interested.

[mike777]

Al_U_Card, on May 3 2007, 04:28 PM, said:

I added the extra stuff to my previous post, if you are still interested.

"My memory is faded, but you could google the names and it will probably fill you in. This situation was commonly referred to as "The October Crisis"

James Cross, the British diplomat, was kidnapped but released.

Pierre Laporte, the politician, was killed during his captivity."



thanks...I have the impression you are saying many many more than 2 people were guilty/involved in this crime but only 2...2 were sentenced? It seems a gross injustice was done to the victims and families of the victims in this huge case in Canada.

It seems more than 2 people had to have been involved in this case based on what little I have read here. Most if not almost all got away with murder and no sentence? Again you know more about this case then I do.