Piyush Goyal pays tribute to Kanishka bombing victims in Canada
Toronto, May 28
Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal paid tribute to the victims of the Air India Flight 182 bombing at the Kanishka Memorial and met the families of the victims.
Air India Flight 182 bombing one of the deadliest acts of aviation terrorism in history, in which all 329 passengers and crew were killed. The aircraft, also known as Kanishka, exploded over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Ireland after a bomb had been placed on board. The flight was operating from Toronto to India via Montreal and London.
Goyal, meeting with the families of the victims, reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Canada to strengthening cooperation to ensure such a tragedy is never repeated.
Speaking with ANI, the sister of one of the victims said, "It is very important that the Minister is here in remembrance. Of all the people who were just taken away, so sadly, so suddenly, I am glad they are remembered. I really appreciate the Minister coming and paying respect."
Executive Director of the Air India Victims' Families Association, Deepak Khandelwal, also appreciated the Minister's decision to show respect to the victims.
"It's great that the Minister came here today to lay a wreath in memory of the innocent people who were murdered 41 years ago. It's good that he's coming to show respect, and the family members are here with him," he said.
Goyal is in Canada for a three-day official visit from May 25-27, taking place as New Delhi and Ottawa aggressively push ahead with negotiations for the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), viewed as a vital step in rejuvenating economic relations between the two nations.
During his visit, he met Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney; Foreign Minister, Anita Anand; Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Heath MacDonald and Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, among others.
He also met prominent Canadian industry leaders during his three-day visit to Canada to discuss investment avenues and expand bilateral economic partnerships.
The high-level interactions focused heavily on enhancing collaborations in financial services, infrastructure, sustainable agriculture, and critical minerals processing.
He noted during his meetings how the talks between them emphasised the importance of trade, investment and tech linkages for the strategic partnership between the two countries.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Kanishka bombing was a dark day for India. 41 years and the wounds still fresh. But I wonder, is this visit also about pushing the trade deal? CEPA negotiations seem to be the main agenda here.
Respect to the families who lost their loved ones. The fact that Canada and India can come together to remember this tragedy shows how strong our ties can be. But let's not forget, we need real action against those who planned this attack.
I'm a Canadian of Indian descent. This bombing affected our community deeply. Glad Piyush Goyal took time to honour the victims. But I hope the trade talks also address issues like Khalistani extremism that still exists in Canada. Two sides of the same coin.
CEPA is important for both economies, but the Kanishka memorial visit shows sensitivity. India remembers its citizens no matter where they are. However, the Canadian government still hasn't done enough to bring all perpetrators to justice. That's the real issue.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.