Pierre Laporte (25 February 1921 – 17 October 1970) was a Canadian politician who was the Vice-Premier and Minister of Labour of the province of Quebec before being kidnapped and murdered by members of the terrorist group Front de Libération du Québec (FLQ) during the October Crisis.
Pierre Laporte was born in Montreal, Quebec. He was a journalist with Le Devoir newspaper from 1945 to 1961, and was known for his crusading work against the government of Quebec's then-Premier Maurice Duplessis.
After Duplessis' death Laporte successfully ran for a seat in Chambly in the Quebec National Assembly and served in the government of Premier Jean Lesage. Laporte was a member of the Quebec Liberal Party, and considered to be a leading member of the party's left wing. In 1969 after Lesage stepped down as party leader Laporte ran to succeed him, but lost the position to fellow cabinet member Robert Bourassa.
When Bourassa was elected Premier of Quebec in 1970, he appointed Laporte as his Vice-Premier and Minister of Labour.
Kidnapping
On 10 October 1970, Laporte was kidnapped from his home in Saint-Lambert, Quebec by the Chénier Cell of the FLQ.[1] They dubbed him the "Minister of Unemployment and Assimilation," and held him hostage in an anti-government protest because his kidnappers wanted "political prisoners" to be freed.
Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau invoked Canada's War Measures Act which allowed mass raids and arrests to take place in order to find Laporte's kidnappers. Trudeau said:
- "Nothing that either the Government of Canada or the Government of Quebec has done or failed to do, now or in the future, could possibly excuse any injury to either of these two innocent men. The gun pointed at their heads have FLQ fingers on the trigger. Should any injury result, there is no explanation that could condone the act. Should there be harm done to these men, the Government promises unceasing pursuit of those responsible."[2] (Trudeau's use of the word "men" referred to Laporte and James Cross, a British diplomat who was kidnapped on October 5 and eventually released on December 3.)
On October 17, just seven days after he went missing, Laporte's body was found. His kidnappers were subsequently captured and sentenced to long prison terms for his murder, but only served terms ranging from 7 to 11 years.[citation needed]
Pierre Laporte was buried in the Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges in Montreal, Quebec.
References
- ^ Krajicek, David. "The Quebec October Crisis". truTV. http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/terrorists_spies/terrorists/flq/index.html. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
- ^ http://www.upi.com/Audio/Year_in_Review/Events-of-1970/Apollo-13/12303235577467-2/#title "Canadian Kidnappings: 1970 Year in Review, UPI.com
External links
- BBC On this day October 10, 1970 Canadian minister seized by gunmen
- CBC Archives October 11, 1970 Labour minister kidnapped
- École secondaire Pierre-Laporte in Mont-Royal, Quebec
- Pierre Laporte at Find a Grave
| Preceded by Robert Théberge (Liberal) |
MNA, District of Chambly 1961–1970 |
Succeeded by Jean Cournoyer (Liberal) |
| Preceded by Lucien Cliche (Liberal) |
Minister of Municipal Affairs 1962–1966 |
Succeeded by Paul Dozois (Union Nationale) |
| Preceded by Jean Cournoyer (Union Nationale) |
Minister of Labor 1970–1970 |
Succeeded by Jean Cournoyer (Liberal) |
| Preceded by n.a. |
Government House Leader 1965–1966 |
Succeeded by Maurice Bellemare (Union Nationale) |
| Preceded by n.a. |
Official Opposition House Leader 1966–1970 |
Succeeded by Rémi Paul (Union Nationale) |
|
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