In an occasional series, we look back at important dates in history as told by the Toronto Star at the time.

On Oct. 5, 1970, British Trade Commissioner James Cross was kidnapped at gunpoint as he left his Montreal home. The kidnappers were members of the Front de libération du Québec, or FLQ, a radical movement founded in the early 1960s to promote an independent and socialist Quebec.

Five days later, on Oct. 10, the FLQ kidnapped Quebec Deputy Premier Pierre Laporte, who was found dead a week later.

The events triggered ‘The FLQ crisis,’ during which then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act. It was the first time since World War II that the act had been invoked and Trudeau was criticized by many over the loss of civil liberties that the act entailed. Many were alarmed to see soldiers patrolling the streets of Canadian cities.

It was during the FLQ Crisis that Trudeau was asked by CBC reporter Tim Ralfe how far he would go in the suspension of civil liberties.

“Well, just watch me,” was the now famous response.

Below are PDFs from the Toronto Star:

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