War Measures Act Debate Part 1

October 16, 2010 marks the fortieth anniversary of Tommy Douglas's famous speech in the House of Commons opposing the invocation of the War Measures Act.

October of 1970 was a time of fear, anger, and uncertainty in Canada. The dramatic actions of the Front du Liberation de Quebec (FLQ) were interpreted by key decision-makers in the Quebec and federal governments as an apprehended insurrection. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, at the request of Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa, invoked the War Measures Act which suspended habeas corpus, giving the police wide powers of search, arrest and seizure and which further allowed the government to pass legislation without consent of parliament.

The police acted quickly, arresting hundreds of people who, it was later proven, had absolutely no links to the FLQ, and who were subsequently released without charges.

In the midst of the fear and frenzy, Tommy Douglas stood in the House of Commons as a voice of calm and reason. He condemned the FLQ and its actions as acts of terrorism and murder. Yet he criticized the government for its response, likening the War Measures Act to "using a sledgehammer to crack a peanut" and calling it "over-kill on a gargantuan scale".

It was an unpopular position for any politician to take in those angry days, but Douglas saw Trudeau's actions as a threat to the very fabric of Canadian democracy. To suspend legal rights and civil liberties, even for a short time, was to admit that democracies are weak and unable to handle threats to civic order. Tommy had more faith in democracy than that.

Tommy's speech remains a defining moment for the social democratic movement and for all Canadians. It stands as a beacon of principle and leadership in dark hours -- when principle and leadership are needed more than ever.


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If you are looking for Tommy's speech in particular - it starts at 6:37 in Part 4 and continues into Part 8

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