15 December 1970

Although the Task Force was wrapping up and Cross was home safely, Laporte’s kidnappers were still at large. Although this was a domestic police issue and thus not a matter for External Affairs, Ritchie nonetheless wanted to share his thoughts on the ongoing police investigation. Ritchie was wary of giving advice to the police and instead wanted to “express general views as to how this situation might best be handled in terms of the Canadian government’s interests.”