Trudeau’s Imposition of the WMA in Canada

Since the Confederation of Canada until today, the province of Quebec has always wanted become its own nation by separating from Canada. As a result, Canada’s scariest ever terrorist group, the Front de Libération de Quebec (FLQ), wrote the darkest chapter in Canadian history, The October Crisis. To end the terror, Canadian Prime Minister, Trudeau, was forced to invoke the War Measures Act (WMA) during his term in 1970 which was flawed with disapproval and controversy since it was the first time the Act was used during peacetime. However, despite the criticism, his decision to invoke the War Measures Act was reasonable because of the fear presented by the FLQ, the public and governmental demands, and the end result of the October Crisis.

In 1970, Trudeau was tremendously criticized for the implementation of the WMA, however, his verdict was correct due to the fright and ambiguity that looms over the FLQ. The FLQ was a sovereigntist “revolutionary movement” that arose in 1963 and were willing to use violence to end English colonialism is Quebec. They started their violence by placing bombs in federal armouries and the neighbourhoods of wealthy Anglophones. Nevertheless, their violence did not stop but, it rose drastically. In 1968, the movement set large bombs at “a federal government bookstore, at McGill University, at the residence of Jean Drapeau and the provincial Department of Labour”. On February 1969, the group wounded 27 people through a bomb placed at the Montreal Stock Exchange. Committing over 200 bombings in 7 years as the group split into 2 cells; Chenier and Liberation cell. In the fall of 1970, the Liberation cell kidnapped British trade commissioner James Cross, and 5 days later the Chenier cell kidnapped the ...

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...ill help achieve his dream rather than violence. Finally, Claude Ryan, future leader of the Liberal party, said that “the Bourassa government placed itself under the tutelage of the Trudeau government.” This shows that due to the execution of the WMA, the government of Québec and Canada worked together, despite their differences. This relationship possibly might have resulted in Trudeau making 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms, so the Quebecers can feel as a part of Canada. Therefore, the end result, which was positive, proves that Trudeau’s implementation of the WMA was correct.

In conclusion, Canada should be thankful, not disrespectful, of Trudeau’s implementation if the WMA during the October Crisis of 1970. His actions were acceptable because of the fear presented by the FLQ, the public and governmental demands, and the end result of the October Crisis.