Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 176 people who were taken from this world too soon, to remember who they were and to stand in solidarity with the people they loved.
On January 8, 167 passengers and nine crew members took their seats aboard Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 and waited for takeoff. For 138 of them, Canada would be their final destination. Among these passengers there were newlyweds, a mother and her teenage daughter, a father on his way home to his young son, families of three, families of four, a grade 12 student who wanted to become a doctor, a talented dentist focused on starting a practice here in Canada and an ambitious 10-year-old boy who was confident that one day he would sit in the very seat from which I rise, confident that one day his voice would be heard in this House.
It is tragic that this boy will never get a chance to sit in the House, but his story, and the stories of all the victims of Flight 752, will resonate not only in this House, but across our great nation. They are stories of hope, ambition and courage. They are unique, inspiring stories of resilience, determination and joy, because these 176 people are much more than mere victims.
Over the past weeks I have sat down with many grieving families. They told me about their loved ones, about who they were, about what they liked to do and about their plans for the future. They lived lives far too rich to be defined by this tragedy. Before any of this happened they were not just shaping their own lives. They were building our country, building a future we all share that is now diminished by their loss.
We cannot change the terrible events that took them away from us, but we can choose how we remember them. Today we choose to remember their strength, their kindness, their passion for life. In a way, we all knew these passengers: the friend one could always count on, the child one watched grow up, the inspiring teacher, the superhero mom or dad.
These people, they shape our lives. They make us who we are, and losing them like this, so unexpectedly, is devastating. This is in part why so many Canadians across the country came together in support of the families and loved ones of the victims because, while we can only imagine the magnitude of their loss, we refuse to see them go through this tragedy alone.
In the darkest hours, Canadians came together to support the families and loved ones of these people who left us too soon. Canadians across the country attended memorial ceremonies. They lit candles, placed flowers and offered their condolences. Some even started community organizations like Canada Strong to help the grieving families. Faced with tragedy, faced with injustice, neighbours, friends, acquaintances and strangers responded with compassion, support and generosity. These are the values and spirit that led many of the passengers to choose not just Canada, but Canadians.
I wish I were not delivering this speech today. I wish all 176 people aboard Flight 752 were still with us. This tragedy should never have occurred and these families deserve to know how and why it did. That is why our government is working closely with our international partners to ensure that a thorough, credible investigation is conducted. We will not rest until we get accountability and justice for the victims' families.
We have been in close contact with the families to ensure they have all the support they need, from facilitating travel and fast-tracking visas to providing legal and financial assistance. We are also matching up to $1.5 million in donations to the Canada Strong fund for those affected by this tragedy.
I want to end this tribute by addressing the families and loved ones of the victims on behalf of all Canadians.
[Prime Minister spoke in Farsi]
[English]
Know that we stand with you. We will not let you weather this storm alone and we will never forget the people you loved.