1978-05-09

THE LATE ALDO MORO


Right Hon. P. E. Trudeau (Prime Minister):: Mr. Speaker, as you know, the death of the Honourable Aldo Moro has been confirmed. May l express my sadness and indignation following the murder of a great statesman who was a true friend of Canada, a man whom I had the privilege to meet on many occasions. I knew him as a humanist as well as a democrat. He was also one of the most famous sons of Italy, a nation, as we all know, to which we extend our thoughts and our friendship.
Our countries were closely connected not only through the great number of Canadians of Italian origin, those who came here and helped build our country, but also through the basic values of democracy and freedom which we both preserved and upheld.
Mr. Moro was a courageous champion of those values. He was elected to the Italian government in 1946. He was coauthor of the post-war Italian constitution. We was to become justice minister, then education minister and finally external affairs minister. Several times he was president of the Italian cabinet.

It required enormous courage on the part of the Italian government not to give into the terrorists' contemptible threats. May that government's example of steadfast determination to maintain the rule of law in the face of sustained pressure, and despite the deepest personal anguish, be the lasting good which emerges from this vicious deed. The tragedy that has befallen Italy today concerns us all, because no free and open society is safe from terrorism that is devoid of any sense of human kindness, that attempts to discredit the state, its institutions and its values and to subvert its laws.
May these events strengthen the resolve of free peoples the world over to resist terrorism wherever it appears, so that the gun and the bomb in the hands of incredibly arrogant fanatics will not be allowed to weaken or destroy the democratic institutions which so many men and women have struggled for so long to create and preserve.
Only when the world community presents a solid front of unyielding courage and fierce resistance to terrorism will the hooded murderers of the innocent be persuaded that they have
nothing to gain and everything to lose by violently challenging the democratic rule of law.
The nobility of the Italian government during this terrible ordeal has been a contribution of priceless value to the entire world community. While we mourn with Italy, let us also salute what the Italian government has done for the cause of freedom.
While our attention is understandly focused on the enormity of the crime which has been committed, let us also be mindful of the private grief and anguish of those who were closest to Aldo Moro. To Signora Moro and her family, I extend the profound sympathy of the government and the people of Canada.
I believe there will be agreement to adjourn the House later, but I will not move the motion at this time: I understand that other party leaders wish to express their grief.


Mr. Joe Clark (Leader of the Opposition):: Mr. Speaker, my first words at this moment are of the grief and the outrage that all of us in this House feel at the death of the Honourable Aldo Moro. To the wife of Aldo Moro, to his four children, to the people of Italy, we express our heartfelt sympathy. This moment of loss is felt most intensely by his family, and for them we in this chamber grieve.
A devout Christian and leader of the Christian Democrats, the former premier was acknowledged to be one of the most able political leaders in Italy, and he would likely have been the next president. He spoke softly, but his convictions were strong and he saw the way to form a workable coalition to govern his country. His was the course of unity and moderation. And his reward was execution by extremists who seek to destroy freedom and reason.
The meaning of this senseless act of terrorism extends well beyond Italy and, indeed, becomes an essential preoccupation of all of us. Aldo Moro was, in the words of Pope Paul, "a common brother in humanity." Who can ever forget Pope Paul's appeal to the kidnappers? "I beg you, on my knees," he said, "free the Honourable Aldo Moro simply, unconditionally". Yet an appeal to compassion was rebuffed. The barbarians who commit such acts know nothing of charity, of justice, of humanity itself.
[ Translation]
In the face of steadily increasing terrorist acts in our changing world, violent as well as senseless, the world community must continue to stand firm. We cannot eradicate international terrorism by gracing it with some form of respect or

May 9, 1978
The Late Aldo Moro
recognition. The peoples of the world must all join in one common voice to oppose terrorism.

These terrorists think of themselves as heroes. They are not heroes; they are vicious and ruthless killers who, unable to make a case of rational and democratic argument, can resort only to the tactics of terror and murder. The hero we acknowledge and mourn is Aldo Moro.
If we learn anything from the tragic events of today, it is this: like-minded governments must join together, as the Prime Minister (Mr. Trudeau) has said, to defeat the perpetrators of terrorism. Never can we admit that terrorism may be permitted for supposedly good ends. The work of the United Nations in producing a strong convention on terrorism must be intensified. Nor can we take refuge from terrorism in simple acts of defence.

The world community must concern itself with the sources of terrorism and violence. The economic and social problems that beget frustrations, alienation and revolts in today's world, those are the problems we must face with greater courage and greater zeal than ever before.
It is not good enough to sincerely express our grief today: the House owes it to itself to reaffirm its will to create a world of peace, a world devoid of terrorism, a world in which the distressed can hope anew.

Today we suffer the outrages of extremism. Let us go on in a spirit of renewed determination to make of our world a safer place. That will become our lasting tribute, our real memorial to the martyrdom of Aldo Moro.


Mr. Edward Broadbent (Oshawa-Whitby):: Mr. Speaker, today a cruel act of terrorism has struck down a distinguished politician, a distinguished Italian, a distinguished European, a distinguished human being. Today's act was a tragedy for Mr. Moro and his family, a tragedy for Italian politics, a tragedy for free men and women everywhere who believe that non-violent means in politics are the only legitimate means for changing things in a free society.
On behalf of my colleagues in and out of the House, I extend our deepest sympathy to Mr. Moro's family, to his countrymen and to all those in this country, and indeed the world, who will be so sadly moved today by this tragic, violent, unnecessary event.
[Translation\


Mr. C. A. Gauthier (Roberval):: Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my party, I wish to join all party leaders who have just taken
the floor to speak about the tragedy that has happened in Italy. We have always steadfastly denounced violence in the world in this century, a violence which has been tolerated far too long in all countries. It seems that no country has the will to oppose this violence.
We may wonder today if we have too much freedom or if we do not properly interpret the notion of freedom in democratic countries. We are always afraid to limit individual rights but terrorists do not. The Bill of Rights has no meaning for them. Mr. Speaker, I wonder when all governments throughout the world will decide once and for all to learn from the lesson that we have been given again today in Italy, and that we have been given in our own country, Mr. Speaker, but we may still wonder who is really behind all those crimes. I read that Italy was asking itself the same question. We read in today's newspapers that a party is wondering if a mysterious individual is not hindering the proper development of the inquiry into the Moro case. When we scrutinize all those acts of terrorism we realize there is always an underlying force in the background and I say that the Red Brigades are only the tools of terrorism.
Mr. Speaker, all of us as well as all governments all over the world must find out what is the underlying force supporting and directing all those organizations. Only then, shall we be able to eradicate evil in our society.
1 join all my colleagues to offer my deepest sympathy to Signora Moro and her family. It is a terrible ordeal and probably the most painful experience one can go through on this earth. Even prayers and appeals by the Pope himself failed to sway those terrorist brigades. We must realize that those brigades are appropriately named. They get their orders, they are not the real culprits; the same is true of many governments nowadays who, when they take some form of action are not the real culprits either. Mr. Speaker, we have the duty as democratic governments to find the real culprits and in particular to assume the responsibilities which are truly ours.


Pierre Elliott Trudeau: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Clark):
That this House do now adjourn.


Some hon. Members:: Agreed.


Mr. Speaker:: I declare the motion carried. Therefore, this House stands adjourned until tomorrow at two o'clock in the afternoon.
Upon motion of Mr. Trudeau the House adjourned at 2.20 p.m.


Wednesday, May 10, 1978