Close X
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
ADVT 
National

Canada Must Guard Against Terrorism: PM Harper

IANS, 24 Jun, 2015 12:56 PM
    Canada is not immune to the threat of terrorism and so "continued vigilance is essential", Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said.
     
    Harper made the remarks on Tuesday while laying a wreath in the Hall of Honour to mark the "National day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism" observed to honour those killed in the 1985 Air India bombing.
     
    An Air India flight flying from Toronto to London crashed off the coast of Ireland on June 23, 1985, killing all 329 people on board. Most of the dead were Canadians of Indian origin. 
     
    Sikh extremists were blamed for the bombing.
     
    Harper said he cannot "help but cast his mind back to the Canadians who perished in Air India Flight 182 and in the World Trade Centre attacks... and to the many terrorist activities foiled by the vigilance of Canadian security agencies.
     
    "The recollections serve as a reminder that Canada is not immune to the threat of terrorism and that continued vigilance is essential."
     
    Addressing a gathering in parliament building here, he said it was a terror attack that killed the 329 passengers and crew members aboard Air India. 
     
    "On this sombre anniversary, we stand in solidarity with the friends and families who lost loved ones in that heinous attack and honour those lost.
     
    "We were deeply moved by this solemn tribute as well as by our meeting the kin of the victims," he added.
     
    Among the kin of the victims present was Susheel Gupta, whose mother Ramvati died in the bombing. Gupta said he regretted that his children would not be able to meet their grandmother.
     
    Meanwhile, a memorial service in Ireland was attended by India's Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan and Canadian Minister of Justice Peter MacKay.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Edmonton Police Officer Found Not Guilty In High-speed Crash That Killed Senior

    Edmonton Police Officer Found Not Guilty In High-speed Crash That Killed Senior
    EDMONTON — A judge has ruled that an Edmonton police officer was driving dangerously when he raced his unmarked car through an intersection, killing an 84-year-old woman.

    Edmonton Police Officer Found Not Guilty In High-speed Crash That Killed Senior

    Arranged Marriage Film 'Arranges' Shows For Indian Americans

    Arranged Marriage Film 'Arranges' Shows For Indian Americans
    Just like arranged marriages in India, a new film on the subject uses a new more "democratic" way of distributing films to match niche South Asian audiences with select theatres in America.

    Arranged Marriage Film 'Arranges' Shows For Indian Americans

    RCMP Investigating Death Of Girl, 11, On Manitoba Reserve As A Homicide

    RCMP Investigating Death Of Girl, 11, On Manitoba Reserve As A Homicide
    WINNIPEG — An 11-year-old girl on a northern Manitoba reserve appears to have been killed by someone, and not a bear as some people believed, RCMP said Friday.

    RCMP Investigating Death Of Girl, 11, On Manitoba Reserve As A Homicide

    Calgary Woman Gets 18-Month Conditional Sentence For Trying To Bribe Juror In Husband's Trial

    Calgary Woman Gets 18-Month Conditional Sentence For Trying To Bribe Juror In Husband's Trial
    CALGARY — A Calgary woman has been handed an 18-month conditional sentence for trying to bribe a juror in her husband's sex assault trial.

    Calgary Woman Gets 18-Month Conditional Sentence For Trying To Bribe Juror In Husband's Trial

    Montreal Considers Becoming First Major Canadian City To Ban Shopping Bags

    Montreal Considers Becoming First Major Canadian City To Ban Shopping Bags
    Montreal is mulling a ban on plastic bags and the city would become the first major Canadian metropolis to adopt such a measure if it proceeds.

    Montreal Considers Becoming First Major Canadian City To Ban Shopping Bags

    Child Dies, Two Survive, Following House Fire In Remote Arctic Hamlet

    Child Dies, Two Survive, Following House Fire In Remote Arctic Hamlet
    IGLOOLIK, Nunavut — One child is dead after a fire in a housing block in a remote Arctic hamlet.

    Child Dies, Two Survive, Following House Fire In Remote Arctic Hamlet