On the 50th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal massacre, the Tamil community gathered at Albert Campbell Square to remember the victims and call on Canada and the international community to bring the perpetrators of the Tamil genocide to justice and fight against denialism.

It was my honour attending the commemoration and extending solidarity with the Tamil community to hold the culprits of these heinous crimes responsible for their sins against innocent Tamil civilians. By doing so, we heal the wounds of the victims and the survivors. Kudos to the National Council of Canadian Tamils for keeping the memory of the victims alive and sensitizing the public and future generations about the scourge of genocide.

It was also a delight reconnecting with former citizenship judges Nancy Siew and Rafiq Rokerya at the Toronto Railway Museum to celebrate Asian Heritage Month and preside over a Canadian citizenship reaffirmation ceremony. This Asian Heritage Month event also had a photo exhibition with contributions from survivors of the Chinese Exclusion Act from 1923 to 1947. More than 70 photos from the survivors of the exclusion were on display. Furthermore, the celebration promoted the ideal of “One Heart, One Canada,” where everyone lives in a harmonious, inclusive and respectful country.

Thank you to the Tribute to Early Chinese Immigrants Canada Foundation, the Toronto Railway Museum and Nancy Siew for organizing this poignant celebration.