Pierre Laporte
Encyclopedia
Pierre Laporte was a Canadian
lawyer, journalist and politician who was the Deputy Premier and Minister of Labour of the province of Quebec
before being kidnapped and killed by members of the group Front de libération du Québec
(FLQ) during the October Crisis
. Mr. Laporte's body was found in the trunk of Paul Rose's car.
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
. During his years in journalism, published a number of series targeting the management of the Duplessis government. In 1954, Le Devoir ran a six-part series on problems during the construction of the Bersimis-1 generating station
. In 1958, he was part of a team of Le Devoir reporters unveiling the natural gas scandal, leading to the formation of the Salvas Commission, soon after the election of 1960
.
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.
by the Chénier Cell
of the FLQ. 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:
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.
Pierre Laporte was buried in the Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges in Montreal, Quebec.
, revealed on 24 September 2010 that the killing of Pierre Laporte was allegedly unintentional.
The revelation also explains certain confusing details about the case, such as the pillow found with Mr. Laporte's body in the automobile. It had been intended to provide a headrest during his live transport to a new location. His death made both intentions redundant.
Criticism has arisen however, that this story is extremely unlikely due to the fact that when the FLQ murdered him, their communique announced they had executed him. He had been strangled with extreme amounts of force.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
lawyer, journalist and politician who was the Deputy Premier and Minister of Labour of the province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
before being kidnapped and killed by members of the group Front de libération du Québec
Front de libération du Québec
The Front de libération du Québec was a left-wing Quebecois nationalist and Marxist-Leninist paramilitary group in Quebec, Canada. It was active between 1963 and 1970, and was regarded as a terrorist organization for its violent methods of action...
(FLQ) during the October Crisis
October Crisis
The October Crisis was a series of events triggered by two kidnappings of government officials by members of the Front de libération du Québec during October 1970 in the province of Quebec, mainly in the Montreal metropolitan area.The circumstances ultimately culminated in the only peacetime use...
. Mr. Laporte's body was found in the trunk of Paul Rose's car.
Life and career
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
with Le Devoir
Le Devoir
Le Devoir is a French-language newspaper published in Montreal and distributed in Quebec and the rest of Canada. It was founded by journalist, politician, and nationalist Henri Bourassa in 1910....
newspaper from 1945 to 1961, and was known for his crusading work against the government of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
's then-Premier Maurice Duplessis
Maurice Duplessis
Maurice Le Noblet Duplessis served as the 16th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1936 to 1939 and 1944 to 1959. A founder and leader of the highly conservative Union Nationale party, he rose to power after exposing the misconduct and patronage of Liberal Premier Louis-Alexandre...
. During his years in journalism, published a number of series targeting the management of the Duplessis government. In 1954, Le Devoir ran a six-part series on problems during the construction of the Bersimis-1 generating station
Bersimis-1 generating station
The Bersimis-1 generating station is a dam and a hydroelectric power station built by Hydro-Québec on the Betsiamites River, in Lac-au-Brochet, north of the town of Forestville, Quebec...
. In 1958, he was part of a team of Le Devoir reporters unveiling the natural gas scandal, leading to the formation of the Salvas Commission, soon after the election of 1960
Quebec general election, 1960
The Quebec general election of 1960 was held on June 22, 1960 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, Canada. It was one of the most significant elections in Quebec history, rivalled perhaps only by the 1976 general election...
.
After Duplessis' death Laporte successfully ran for a seat in Chambly
Chambly (provincial electoral district)
Chambly is a provincial electoral district in the province of Quebec, Canada. Situated in the Montérégie region south of Montreal, the riding was created in 1829...
in the Quebec National Assembly and served in the government of Premier Jean Lesage
Jean Lesage
Jean Lesage, PC, CC, CD was a lawyer and politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as the 19th Premier of Quebec from 22 June 1960, to 16 August 1966...
. 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
Robert Bourassa
Jean-Robert Bourassa, was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as the 22nd Premier of Quebec in two different mandates, first from May 12, 1970, to November 25, 1976, and then from December 12, 1985, to January 11, 1994, serving a total of just under 15 years as Provincial Premier.-Early...
.
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 on Robitaille Street in Saint-Lambert, QuebecSaint-Lambert, Quebec
Saint-Lambert is a Canadian city in the province of Quebec located opposite Montreal on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. Saint-Lambert was named for either the early French Canadian hunter Lambert Closse or for Roman Catholic Bishop Lambert of Maastricht...
by the Chénier Cell
Chenier Cell
The Chénier Cell was a Montreal-based cell of the Front de libération du Québec terrorist group in Quebec whose members were responsible for a decade of bombings and armed robberies in the 1960s that led to what became known as the October Crisis...
of the FLQ. 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
War Measures Act
The War Measures Act was a Canadian statute that allowed the government to assume sweeping emergency powers in the event of "war, invasion or insurrection, real or apprehended"...
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." (Trudeau's use of the word "men" referred to Laporte and James CrossJames CrossJames Richard Cross, CMG was a British diplomat in Canada who was kidnapped by the Front de libération du Québec terrorist group during the October Crisis of October 1970....
, 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.
Pierre Laporte was buried in the Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges in Montreal, Quebec.
2010 Dispute
Radio-Canada, the French-language service of the bilingual Canadian Broadcasting CorporationCanadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
, revealed on 24 September 2010 that the killing of Pierre Laporte was allegedly unintentional.
The revelation also explains certain confusing details about the case, such as the pillow found with Mr. Laporte's body in the automobile. It had been intended to provide a headrest during his live transport to a new location. His death made both intentions redundant.
Criticism has arisen however, that this story is extremely unlikely due to the fact that when the FLQ murdered him, their communique announced they had executed him. He had been strangled with extreme amounts of force.