The History of Flq Crisis (the Front De Liberation Du Quebec)

The Front de Liberation du Quebec, shortened as the FLQ Crisis, (known as October Crisis) was created in 1963. The leader of this group is Paul Rose. FLQ was considered to be the second worst attack, by fact that they killed 8 people and were guilty of approximately 200 bombs and robbery in Quebec. The time of the Quiet Revolution, which began from 1960-1970, a group of people wanted Quebec to have independence, so they used violence to tell it to the government. FLQ's goal was to separate Quebec from Canada and to erase all Britain cultures. FLQ believed that Canada once was the French's property. The group started to set off bombs and they killed 8 people in total and injured over 100 people. They were responsible for over 200 attacks.

James Richard Cross, a British Trade Commissioner, was kidnapped by 4 members of the FLQ Crisis on October 5, 1970. James Cross was at home when the kidnapping took place and the FLQ disguised themselves as delivery men. FLQ sent out a ransom note to the Federal Government, Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, telling him that he would have to free all FLQ prisoners, broadcast their manifesto on the radio, give them plane tickets to take the prisoners to Cuba or Algeria, give them $500,000 in gold and more other commands in exchange for James Cross. Prime Minister Trudeau announced the manifesto through CBC radio, but refused to set free and prisoners. He said, in a reporter interview: "All I can say is, go on and bleed. But it's more important to keep law and order in this society than to be worried about weak-kneed people." His most famous line was said at the end of a reporter interview; "Just watch me."

October 10, FLQ kidnapped the Labrador Provincial Minister, Pierre Laporte, at his home as well. FLQ demanded that they would have to get what they needed or they would assassinate Laporte. Quebec asked Ottawa to help and they opened a safe pathway for FLQ to leave this country. Everyone was frightened of this terrorist attack. Citizens from Quebec were petrified of FLQ, since, in the eyes of the citizens, they were very powerful if they could kidnap a Provincial Government and set bombs everywhere.

The government sent out police officers to search for the missing trade commissioner and to track down the Provincial Government. FLQ sent out more demands on what they wanted, but only got rejections from Quebec. Canadian troops were sent to Quebec, protecting citizens and buildings that belong to the federal government. The government ordered the FLQ to release the two prisoners safe. The government told them that they would discharge 5 out of the list of prisoners from the FLQ's paper, in return, but the group would have to leave this country. On October 17, Pierre Laporte was found dead in a car trunk, in Saint-Hubert. Meanwhile, a note sent by James Cross told everyone that he was safe. Soon, one of the members of the FLQ was tracked down in an apartment at C'te des Neiges neighborhood and was arrested. He was one of the kidnappers that took Loprote. The police rapidly found 2 other members of the FLQ: Jacques Cossette-Trudel and his wife, Louise Lanctet. They were part of the kidnappers of James Cross and was arrested.

On December 3, James Richard Cross was free from imprisonment. FLQ Crisis in exchange, got seven prisoners that are released and was sent to Cuba. December 28, the leader of FLQ was found on a farm, South of Montreal. Paul Rose, along with his brothers, Jacques Rose and Francis Simard were arrested. They claimed that they were the ones who murdered Pierre Laporte and kidnapped James Cross and Laporte. Their sentence was to serve in prison for 7 years because of murder (8 people and Laporte), kidnap, and breaking almost all the rules and laws of Quebec. FLQ was considered to be the 2 worst attack that happened in Canadian History (the first worst event was World War 2). I think that this is not worthy of being remembered because they killed 8 innocent people and the Labrador Prime Minister. FLQ thought that they could bring independence to Quebec and separate Quebec from the rest of Canada.

In conclusion, they did nothing but get attention from the citizens and government, and killed and injured many innocent souls. For some people, they are like Terrorists. For others, FLQ were like heroes because some people wanted Quebec to separate from Canada, as well as introducing French Culture to everyone around the world. FLQ did not only do distribution, but they also damaged a lot of things such as land or buildings that they sent the bombs off. They did not achieve anything which means the FLQ Crisis did not help the French erase all English Culture and it did not do anything, but damage.

Works Cited

1. CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, www.cbc.ca/history/EPISCONTENTSE1EP16CH1PA4LE.html.
2. The October Crisis, www.histori.ca/peace/page.do?pageID=342.
3. October Crisis, www.canadahistory.com/sections/eras/trudeau/october_crisis.htm.
4. “Google.” Google, www.google.ca/.
5. “October Crisis.” Canada's Human Rights History, historyofrights.ca/history/october-crisis/.
6. “The October Crisis: a Summary.” History in an Hour, 10 Sept. 2013, www.historyinanhour.com/2013/09/06/the-october-crisis-a-summary/.
7. “Quebec History.” Faculty.marianopolis.edu, faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/quebechistory/chronos/october.htm.
8. Smith, Denis. “October Crisis.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/october-crisis/.
9. “What Did the FLQ Do and Did They Achieve Their Goals?” History Blogs, 9 June 2014, mohammad1011blogs.wordpress.com/unit-4/what-did-the-flq-do-and-did-they-achieve-their-goals/