Calling it racist and shameful, the prime minister issued an announcement Monday on the anniversary of one in every of Canada's darker historic chapters.
Monday marks the 108th anniversary of the Komagata Maru incident, which led to the deaths of greater than a dozen folks.
The Komagata Maru was a steamship that introduced 376 Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus of South Asian origin to Vancouver.
These folks hoped to settle in Canada, however as an alternative had been turned away "because of the racist and discriminatory legal guidelines of the time," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned.
They had been detained on the ship for months, and had been denied entry to meals, water and well being care. The case went by means of the court docket system, and the ship was turned again to India.
As soon as there, 19 folks had been killed and lots of others had been imprisoned.
"Right this moment and daily, what occurred greater than a century in the past serves as a reminder to all Canadians of the significance of treating one another with dignity and respect, preventing racism and discrimination in all its varieties, and selling fairness and inclusion. We'll proceed to be taught from the errors of our previous to make sure they by no means occur once more," Trudeau's assertion mentioned.
British Columbia Premier John Horgan additionally launched a written assertion on the anniversary, describing the angle the passengers had been met with as "hostility, prejudice and injustice."
He mentioned these on the ship had been college students, labourers and former troopers who wished to contribute as soon as settled in Canada.
Each ranges of presidency have beforehand issued apologies for his or her roles, as has the Metropolis of Vancouver.
"There's extra work to do. How far we've got come is a testomony to the unbelievable resiliency in our province, together with those that stand as much as injustice and attempt to make B.C. safer and extra equitable for everybody," Horgan mentioned.
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