October Crisis (1970)

Two leaders of the Front de Liberation de Quebec had been captured in Quebec changing the group’s terroristic tactics from bombings to kidnappings. On October 5, James Cross, the British Trade Commissioner was kidnapped with a demand for $500,000 and the release of a number of political prisoners. In addition, there was to be no police pursuit, transport out of the country was to be guaranteed for the terrorists and the television and radio stations were to broadcast the FLQ manifesto. The last two demands were accepted and the parole for a number of political prisoners would be supported. On October 10 with Cross still out of sight, Pierre Laporte, the Minister of Labour and Immigration was also kidnapped. In response, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau brought back the War Measures Act to round up the FLQ sympathizers under the leadership of Premier of Quebec, Robert Bourassa. In the end, Laporte's body was discovered on October 17 and Cross was released after the kidnappers were guaranteed a safe passage to Cuba. Later that month, the murderers of Laporte were caught and imprisoned.

Orange Order

The First Grand Lodge was established in Canada in 1830. By the 1980s, the order had grown to 2000 lodges with 10000 members. The Orangemen reinforced the pro-British and Tory sentiments and focussed their hostilities on the French-Canadian Catholics. In 1848, Lafontaine introduced the Secret Societies Bill to counteract their activities. The murder of Orangeman Thomas Scott during the Red River Revolution led indirectly to the campaign of D’Alton McCarthy and the Manitoba Schools Act. Macdonald was able to calm things down and in 1878 he invited the Grand Master, Mackenzie Bowell to join his cabinet.