Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, the Prime Minister of Canada stood in the House, in Parliament, to apologize for the Komagata Maru incident of 1914. I was proud to stand with this government as we did the right thing for the South Asian community here in Canada.
For the families and the descendants who came here, this piece of Canada's history is a deeply impactful event. People showed up on Canada's doorstep in need but were refused food and water, kept on a ship for months, and then turned back. That is not the Canada we know and love.
Over the decades following, we have built a reputation as a welcoming, open, diverse country on the world stage. Sikhs in Canada thrived despite the Komagata Maru incident. This government showed the community the respect of standing up and apologizing for this tragedy.
I would like to thank the Prime Minister for his leadership in this. This is Canada at our best.