Mr. Speaker, as someone who studied the Air India bombing of 1985, I became intensely aware of the depth of feeling and the deep divisions in the Indian subcontinent as well as in Canada at that time. Twenty-six years later, efforts at truth and reconciliation are underway in India, as indeed they are in Canada.
Mr. Kamal Nath, the Indian minister of highways, has visited Canada several times since 2001. He is visiting Canada now. We hope the government will take the opportunity to discuss all these issues with Mr. Nath. As Canadians, we deeply value or growing ties with India and want them to be strengthened. We also need to stand as Canadians for human rights and for truth and reconciliation.
Mr. Justice Major's report on the Air India tragedy, in which hundreds died, will shed important light on the events of over 25 years ago. After the assassination of Indira Gandhi, thousands of Sikhs were killed and other members of the Indian community lost their lives as well. It is clear that many deep wounds have not yet healed. It will require openness and mutual respect to get through a difficult time in the lives of many of our fellow Canadians.