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By Larry Black of Canadian University Press

'IWo weeks before the crucial 1970 Quebec election, a spectacular caravan of heavily-armed Brink's trucks, laden with bonds and securities "sneaked" across the Ontario-Quebec border under the watchful eye of most of antreal's mass media.

Now, eight years later, the Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, the country's largest insurer and seventh largest financial institution, has announced that it too intends to sneak across the Ontario border with its stocks, bonds, and head offices.

'Ihe stated reason for the move, which vm't

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take place for two years (until after the national referendum on Quebec's independence) is Quebec's language law, Bill 101, which the company says affects its ability to operate its multinational head office. .

'Ihe threat to move out of Quebec at this time has caused a stir in Canada, particularly among those interested in the outcome of that referendum.

'Ihe Quebec government has exposed the corpora— tion as a "poor corporate citizen" and threatened to repatriate the $200 million the company has extracted from the province. Federalist

politicians, from the rIloronto Liberal MP's

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'lhere is an interesting post—script to the Sun Life at.

One year ago, on Jan.4, 1977, two agents of the tral Intelligence Agency attended a meeting at a Toronto hotel, organized by

employee of a major

ada. 'Ihe meeting of representatives of multi— nationals was set up to study ways of disparaging the newly—elected Parti uebecois government. According to reports in th Ie Devoir of antreal and Ie Soleil of Quebec City, those attending discussed ways of "destab- lizing the economy of the rovinoe, possible methods of halting the referendum, and the possibility of Heliminating Premier Rene Ievesque and other members f the cabinet."

Iavon Strong, public relations spokesperson for e CIA denied any know- ledge 'of the meeting: "We 'd not participate in the ting and know nothing

ut it. 'Ihe rumours are 'thout foundation. " But the Quebec ministry is:

f justice thought rumours f a planned economic destabilization were serious enough to call an investigation. 'Ihe minister, Marc—Andre Bedard, reported that the investigation ended March 23 and found the meeting ver occurred and the affair was "without serious foundation. "

But Ie Soleil says the investi aticn was

tinaticmal operating in

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in mid—December after an earlier meeting of the multinationals in Ottawa. 'IWo officers of the Quebec Provincial Police, Claude Menard and Maurice Dalpe, went to the 'Ibronto

meeting, the Quebec news— 7

paper said. Its sources were highly-placed officials in "the govern— ment, the police, and elsewhere. "

’Ihe suspicions about the meeting seem con— Eirmed by the statements of Parti Quebecois ministers. levesque .is quoted as saying "certain people could be, interested in an economic destabili— zation operation," but he would not say if the CIA would be involved.

Claude Charron said such an affair would "only be the tip of an immrg. There are many people who are ready by any means, including illegal and criminal acts, to over- throw the government."

Jean—Pierre Charbonneau, another pequiste deputy, said that many of his colleagues "are aware of the possibility of violent acts to destabilize the regime."

And Bedard himself hinted there was more to the case than he was telling. ‘

But the story ended there. Four days after the story broke, Ie Soleil was closed by labour conflict, and Ie Devoir did not follow the issue.

caucus to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Finance Minister Jean C‘hretien, have been wail— , ing about the company's responsibility to help preserve the Canadian confederation. And the Financial Post has run front page banner head- lines asking "Did the company really have to say it now?"

It's an interesting question 'Ihe Post itself finds them—37's "decision to cite Bill 101 as the reason for its proposed departure a little premature, to say the least."

'Ihe carpany has stuck to this claim ——"that language is the real . reason"-— and has delayed a policy—holders meeting on the move for three months. 'Carpany president 'Ihomas Galt ins. sists that the lack of rights to English educa— tion for the children of staff caning to Quebec was a major element in the carpany's decision: "The language of education is of vital importance in the acceptibility of Montreal as a place to live."

And James Sinclair, Trudeau's 'father-in—law and a member of Sun Life's board of directors has said: "All he (Quebec premier Rene Ievesque) has to do to stop this

‘ hemorrhage is to announce

that head offices of multinational companies can operate in English-and that head office families can send their children to English or French schools. "

'Ihis excuse, (besides showing an unusual con— cern on the part of a company like Sun Life for its employees) , raises a lot of questions about the company's real motives.

'Ihe most devious is that Bill 101, as it stands, does not interfere with the language rights of head office staffs of multinationals. During the hearings on the bill, the government backed down on this point, and has yet to draft the regulations for head offices.

But there is little doubt the government will accept the reoarmendatim of its language office, which suggests that

language cannot be legis- lated for mmltinatimal headquarters. French should instead be encour— aged through an "effective school system so that . carpanies can hire local people without sacrificing quality," the language commissioners say.

Provisions have alrea been made for the - diildren of multinational executives who are transferred into the province for three-year, renewable

Not a government "hard- line" , and not one that would justify a $10 million move -— a move which would invariably be accarpanied by a

greater." . - r -

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