Pierre Laporte's death during October Crisis marked by monument

The body of Pierre Laporte, with Premier and Mrs. Robert Bourassa kneeling before it, lies in state Monday, Oct. 20, 1970 in the Montreal courthouse, attended by an honour guard of provincial police. An author of Quebec's high-school history textbooks casts the federal government as the main villain of the October Crisis 40 years ago, disputes that Pierre Laporte was murdered, and defends the terrorist FLQ whose victims were, he says, mere �collateral damage� in the greater cause of independence. THE CANADIAN PRESS/

ST. LAMBERT - A monument was unveiled in St. Lambert Sunday to mark the 40th anniversary of the strangling death of Pierre Laporte.

The body of labour minister Laporte was found in the trunk of a car on Oct. 17, 1970, during the height of the October Crisis.

"We must forever remember him, and his life and his contribution. Not only the sacrifice of his life but his contribution, so that never again this would be allowed to happen and ever tolerate gestures of violence," said Charest, who was on hand for the ceremony

Laporte's widow Francoise and his children and grandchildren attended the ceremony. The Laporte monument now stands at the St. Lawrence Seaway Park at 430 Riverside St., near Robitaille St. the home from which Laporte was kidnapped.

Kidnapped by the FLQ

Laporte's body was found in a car near the St. Hubert Airport after the Liberal minister had been kidnapped by members of the Front de Liberation du Quebec a week beforehand.

The day before, on Oct. 16, then-prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau enacted the first peace-time usage of the War Measures Act, deploying the Canadian military throughout Quebec.

The FLQ claimed responsibility for Laporte's kidnapping, as well as that of British trade commissioner James Cross, who was later released.

Two FLQ members - Paul Rose, leader of the notorious Chenier Cell, and Francis Simard - were eventually convicted of murder in Laporte's death and sentenced to life behind bars.

Both men were released from prison in 1982.

With files from The Canadian Press

Programming note: This Thursday at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m., CTV News will air a documentary retrospective on the October Crisis, with former CTV anchor Bill Haugland, who covered the event 40 years ago as a young reporter.

The documentary will also be available on our website.