Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the Komagata Maru tragedy.
In 1914, the Komagata Maru ship arrived in Vancouver, British Columbia where 356 of its 376 passengers from India were denied entry into Canada and forced to return to India.
In 2008, the Prime Minister issued an official apology on behalf of the Government of Canada for the Komagata Maru tragedy.
As part of the apology, our government also committed $2.5 million dollars in funding to build a monument, a museum, write books, plays, and websites that helped commemorate and raise awareness of this tragedy in our country's history.
I am pleased to announce that we will be launching a commemorative stamp to mark the 100th anniversary in memory of the Komagata Maru tragedy. On Tuesday, May 6, at 7:00 p.m., we will be unveiling the stamp. I invite all members of the House to join me at the Canadian Museum of Nature to help commemorate this tragic event.