The War Measures Act

illiberal

used during crises to deal with them quickly

Executive branch could invoke it

Used three times

• WWI - internment of Ukranian Canadians, who were considered enemy aliens

  • were required to carry government-issued ID and were not permitted to publish or read anything in a language other than English or French or to leave the country without permit (among other government-imposed laws)

• WWII - Japanese Canadians were considered enemy aliens and placed in interment camps

  • the women and children were also all sent to BC while the men were sent to work camps

  • the federal government also took and sold the property of Japanese Canadians

  • items were sold for a fraction of their value, and the original owners received no compensation

• October Crisis

  • The Quiet Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Quebec aimed at enhancing opportunities for Francophone Quebecois

  • some people thought that violence was necessary however, and the FLQ was founded - a group that was willing to resort to terrorism

  • FLQ abducted James Cross and then kidnapped and murdered Pierre Laporte, a popular Quebec cabinet minister

  • the federal government then sent troops to Quebec and issued the War Measures Act

  • the federal government arrested without warrant people who expressed pro-FLQ views