https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/58aff4a955046372c0dafa89ca3f6d1f.pdf b2f6c93fb059bd4e5623e434fe19d0b3 PDF Text Text CONFIDENTIAL October 30, 1970 MEMORANDUM FOR THE MINISTER Public handling of FLQ communiques In connection with your Cabinet Committee meeting today, you may find useful some further comments on the above question. 2. The way in which the Quebec police, and later Mr. Choquette, refused to allow publication of the latest FLQ communique has led to a rather unfortunate presentation of the matter in the media. The impression has been created that there is something mysterious about the communique or that the governments are afraid of the political consequences of its publication. The bald statement that publication would impede police investigation does not carry conviction. 3. At the suggestion of the Special Operations Centre, we have examined the advantages of a procedure for immediate official response to further FLQ communiques similar to the last one. We feel that this would be both feasible and desirable. 4. Assuming that the governments intend to continue opposing publication (we believe this justified), we would recommend prompt issuance of an official statement each time a communique of this type is received. The statement would first focus attention on the fate of Mr. Cross. It could indicate for instance that the communique gave no information about Mr. Cross, no evidence that he was alive and no indication that the kidnappers intend to release him. To this might be added that the rest of the communique was merely a tiresome repetition of FLQ propaganda, possibly with some attempt to communicate with other FLQ groups through the public media. It was for this reason that pJublication was believed not to be in the public interest. • • • -— >> a/o J (uTx.ynrf 000970 �,- v - 2 5. I believe it would be advantageous to get this kind of approach on a government-wide basis. For this reason, you may wish to raise this point at the Cabinet Committee meeting. If this line is agreed, we should no doubt raise the matter with Quebec. I take it that the Quebec authorities would be the ones to issue such a statement, but any comments made in Ottawa would be along the same line. E. 'A. R. 000971 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDTF00053 Title A name given to the resource Memorandum for the Minister Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 30-Oct-70 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Political Affairs - Internal Security - Task Force on Kidnapping - Policy, RG25, vol. 25741, 20-22-TFK-1, part 3, Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Department of External Affairs Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource October Crisis, TFK Description An account of the resource Public handling of FLQ communiqués Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en