Global Srilankan Forum

Hon. David McKinnon,
High Commissioner,
High Commission of Canada to Sri Lanka and Maldives,
33A,5th Lane,
Colpetty,
Colombo 03,
Sri Lanka

Re: Tamil Genocide Education Week Act,2021(Ontario-Bill 104) facilitates separatism in Sri Lanka

Dear Hon. High Commissioner,

We would like to bring your attention to the above bill which received Royal Ascent on 12 May 2021.

The private bill tabled by MPP Vijay Thanigasalam of Sri Lankan Tamil descent, describes the entirety of the war, from 1983-2009 as a genocide that the Sri Lankan state perpetrated against Tamils.”

Further, genocide is described in the bill as the deliberate and organized killing of a group or groups of people, with the intention of destroying their identity as an ethnic, cultural, or religious group. Then the bill goes on to say that genocide against Tamils started in 1948 and was perpetrated through Sinhala-Buddhist centric government policies, programs, land grabs and ethnic cleansing. Furthermore, the bill refers to a UN estimate of 40,000 to 75,000 civilians killed in May 2009 alone. Also, there is reference to a higher death toll of 146,679, apparently derived from the difference between pre and post war statistics of regional population.

Most importantly, Bill 104 emphasizes the existence of a continued genocide against Tamils since 1948. In addition, the state of Sri Lanka has also been accused of systematic disenfranchisement of voting rights, suppression of language, religion, and culture of Tamil people.

With long established diplomatic relations between two countries, we believe that the Candain High Commission and the government are well aware of the fact that the genocidal picture portrayed in the above Bill/Act is pure fabrication.
• There is no evidence to support the death tolls mentioned in the bill.
• The actual number of deaths is estimated around 5,000-7,000 which is far below the average for a conflict of similar magnitude.
• There is no evidence to support a continued genocide since 1948.
• Alleged Tamil Genocide has never been determined by a court of law or an international tribunal.

If the above Act is unopposed and remains the law of the land in Ontario, we can contemplate the following consequences.
1. Alleged Tamil genocide in Sri Lanka will be formally recognized in Ontario.
2. Other Canadian provinces may be inclined to pass similar bills.
3. Federal government is likely to adapt the same.
4. Canadian example might be followed by other western countries.
5. LTTE separatists will be few steps closer to prove their case for a separate homeland.
6. Sinhalese students in Canada will be educated on a genocide allegedly committed by SL military forces but not proven in a court of law.
7. Sinhalese students may be subjected to bullying and discrimination in the classroom.

Further, we believe that the Act violates the Canadian constitution since the substance of the bill is of criminal nature albeit it being labeled as an Act related to education. It is regrettable that a fellow UN member states and a fellow member of the commonwealth allows its provincial bodies to interfere with internal affairs of another UN/commonwealth member state. Private member bills brought in the provincial legislatures to interfere with internal affairs of sovereign nations may set a bad precedence for a nation of immigrants from across the globe. If the trend continued, hundreds of international disputes will be introduced to Canadian political theatre with an adverse effect on relations among various communities.

Therefore, we strongly request the government of Canada to intervene in any possible mean to repeal/amend the Bill 104 to prevent further reputational damage to the state of Sri Lanka and the Canadians of Sri Lankan ancestry.

Sincerely,

Sunil Chandrakumara President Global Srilankan Forum
Ruwan Perera Director – International Affairs Global Srilankan Forum