Government of Canada Commemorates 30th Anniversary of Air India disaster

AHAKISTA, IRELAND--(Marketwired - June 23, 2015) - Department of Justice Canada

Peter MacKay, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today joined local community members and families of victims of the Air India disaster at a ceremony in Ahakista, Ireland, to mark the 30^th anniversary of the terrorist attack.

While in Ireland, the Minister will also hold meetings with international officials to discuss issues related to justice, terrorism and victims of crime. Following his trip to Ireland, Minister MacKay will travel to London, England, to meet with the Rt. Honourable Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Justice for the UK.

Quick Facts

• Flight 182 was an Air India flight operating on the Montreal-London-Delhi route. On June 23, 1985, the Boeing 747 was blown up by a bomb at an altitude of 9,400 metres and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean while in Irish airspace.
• A total of 329 people were killed in the Air India bombing, including 268 Canadians. Two more people were killed in a separate, but related, bombing at the Narita Airport in Japan.
• The bombing of Air India Flight 182 remains the worst terrorist attack in Canadian history.
• The Government has identified June 23 as the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism.

Quotes

"On this 30^th anniversary, we stand with the families in remembrance of each one of the dear and loved family members. Our Government is committed to ensuring the safety of all Canadians, so that no other family lives through the pain of losing someone. That is why we introduced anti-terrorism legislation earlier this year to strengthen our existing anti-terrorism laws, to ensure they continue to respond to all forms of terrorism both at home and abroad. Strengthening our international bonds and shared vigilance is part of our Government's pledge to protect Canadians and to keep them safe. Today is the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism in Canada-a day that marks the anniversary of the bombing of Flight 182 and the lives lost. Sadly, other terrorist atrocities have followed and now make up part of this day of remembrance and reflection. This serves as a reminder of the world we live in and the continued need to stand up for our values and democracy, as well as ensuring we have the tools we need to protect all Canadians across the country.

- Peter MacKay, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Associated Links

- Canada's Counter-Terrorism Strategy http://www.international.gc.ca/crime/terrorism-terrorisme.aspx?lang=eng

- Remembering Air India Flight 182 http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/ntnl-scrt/cntr-trrrsm/r-nd-flght-182/index-eng.aspx

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