20 November 1970

The FLQ cells responsible for kidnapping Cross and Laporte had been separate entities. This meant that the federal government could arrange the safe conduct of the Cross cell while, at the same time, pursuing prosecution of the Laporte cell. The Quebec police received information that the two cells planned to merge, forcing the federal government to consider contingency plans should such a merger take place. If the combined cells requested safe conduct arrangements in exchange for Cross, the federal government might face pressure to agree to their demands and allow Laporte’s murderers to leave the country. Ritchie outlines a variety of approaches which might be taken in this memorandum, including relying “on a trick or at least on ambiguity.”