Thank you, Mr. Chair.
First off, it's been 40 years since this genocide occurred. It is something that has caused deep trauma for the Sikh community, many of whom have proudly chosen Canada to be home. It is an impact that continues to have serious pain, and to date, there has been no formal recognition of this genocide.
The inaction leaves those wounds, and many members of the Sikh community still face transnational violence. We recently saw in the RCMP's report that there is still an ongoing allegation of targeted violence by the Indian government against the Sikh community.
Recognizing this genocide would be an act of solidarity. It would show that, whether violence happens now or happened in the past, Canada takes a stance against that type of violence.
I've personally spoken with a number of Sikh organizations, including the World Sikh Organization of Canada, the Sikh Federation Canada, the Ontario Gurdwaras Committee and the British Columbia Gurdwaras Council. These organizations in total represent a significant portion of the Sikh community in Canada. We're talking about all of the major gurdwaras in provinces like Ontario and B.C., and the Sikh Federation Canada makes up organizations of gurdwaras from across the country. They have all specifically urged Parliament to formally recognize this tragedy and to acknowledge the enduring pain it has caused.
I ask all members of the committee to support this motion and see that it be brought into Parliament. I think this would be a really powerful step towards acknowledging the harm, and it would be a powerful step towards justice.