Source II
If a democratic society is to continue to exist, it must be able to root out the cancer
of an armed, revolutionary movement that is bent on destroying the very basis of
our freedom. For that reason the Government, following an analysis of the facts,
including requests of the Government of Quebec and the City of Montreal for
urgent action, decided to proclaim the War Measures Act. It did so at 4:00 a.m." this
morning, in order to permit the full weight of Government to be brought quickly to
bear on all those persons advocating or practising violence as a means of achieving
political ends.
-an excerpt from the speech Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau gave in
announcing the proclamation of the War Measures Act
October 16, 1970
-from First Among Equals
Trudeau, Pierre Elliott. "Notes for A National Broadcast, October 16, 1970." First Among Equals: The
Prime Minister in Canadian Life and Politics. Library and Archives Canada. www.collectionscanada.gc.ca.

Information in Source II indicates that Trudeau was most strongly reinforcing the
need to