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40 yrs of Kanishka bombing: 51% believe the incident ‘has never been treated like a Canadian tragedy’, finds poll
The bombing of Air India flight 182, the Kanishka, claimed 329 lives, including close to 280 Canadian citizens on June 23, 1985
Toronto: While Canadians remain largely unaware of the worst terror attack in the country’s history, two-third believe details of the bombing of Air India flight 182, the Kanishka, by Khalistani extremists, should be taught in schools and the problem of ignorance corrected.
These were among the major findings of a new survey conducted by the non-profit Angus Reid Institute (ARI) published on the 40th anniversary of the bombing, which claimed 329 lives, including close to 280 Canadian citizens on June 23, 1985.
Of those sampled, 59% said they “only know the main details”, according to an ARI release.
Half, 51%, believe the bombing “has never been treated like a Canadian tragedy”, and seven-in-ten, 71%, support an exhibit about the bombing at the Canadian Museum of History. Approximately two-third, 65%, “believe it should be consistently taught in Canadian schools”, ARI said.
“Both would go a long way to increase the number of Canadians in future years of who feel Canada has done enough to honour the victims. In both 2023 polling and these latest data fewer than three-in-10 said enough had been done,” ARI noted.
Talwinder Singh Parmar, considered the mastermind of the attack, lived in Burnaby in British Columbia, the plot was hatched and the bomb made in that province, yet Canadian remain largely ignorant of what was the worst incident of aviation terrorism till 9/11.
ARI described the Kanishka bombing as an “unremembered tragedy” as nearly a third of those surveyed, 32%, said they were unaware of it, 4% higher than what it was in a similar poll conducted in 2023.
There is also little liking for pro-Khalistan groups taking to gathering at the memorials to the tragedy on the anniversary. “Three-in-five (63%) say that even if they have the right to be there, the presence of Khalistan supporters at public memorial is inappropriate,” the survey found.
In addition, 34% believe there is too much “disinformation” about the bombing, including the discredited conspiracy theory of an Indian role. “Today marks 40 years to the day that Canada endured the worst terror attack in its history, but if you ask most Canadians, there’s a good chance they’d be unable to tell you that,” the ARI stated.
But, they understand such lack of knowledge is wrong, as it added, “While they may not know a lot about the tragedy, Canadians appear to see this as a problem to correct.”
