Thousands of Tamil Canadians commemorate Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day in Toronto

On May 18, 2025, thousands of Tamil Canadians gathered in Brampton and Scarborough to mark the 16th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide and honour the memory of all Tamil lives lost since 1948 as a result of Sri Lanka’s genocidal campaign. The commemorations, held at the Tamil Genocide Monument in Chinguacousy Park and at Albert Campbell Square, were jointly organised by the National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT) and Tamil Canadian youth organisations.

At 11:00 AM, community members began gathering at the Tamil Genocide Monument in Brampton, where they paid tribute by laying flowers and lighting a memorial lamp. Songs capturing the pain and sorrow of Tamils during the genocide in Mullivaikkal were performed. Among those in attendance were Deputy Mayor of Brampton Hakirat Singh, Regional Councillor Gurpatap Singh Toor, and Peel District School Board Trustee Kathy McDonald, all of whom expressed their solidarity with the Tamil community. Throughout the day, many Canadians visited the monument to pay their respects.

Later that evening, the main commemorative event was held at Albert Campbell Square in Scarborough, drawing an even larger crowd. The programme commenced with a land acknowledgment, followed by the Canadian National Anthem and the Tamil Eelam National Anthem. A moment of silence and a bharatanatyam performance by Jeya Balamuhunthan’s students set a solemn tone for the evening.

 

In her opening address, NCCT Board Member Pamela Ketheeswaran delivered a powerful statement on Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, outlining Sri Lanka’s unwillingness to take concrete steps to address accountability and remedial justice for the Tamil Genocide means that the only way to determine the facts, identify the perpetrators and hold them internationally accountable is by establishing an international independent investigation and prosecutorial mechanism. She also warned of Sri Lanka’s foreign interference in Canada and the continued denial of the Tamil genocide.

Several federal and provincial politicians addressed the crowd. MPs Shaun Chen, Salma Zahid, and Juanita Nathan delivered remarks on behalf of the Canadian federal government and shared Prime Minister Mark Carney’s official statement for Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day. They paid tribute to the resilience of the Tamil community and reiterated Canada’s commitment to international justice.

Provincial ministers Hon. Raymond Cho, Hon. Vijay Thanigasalam, and MPP Aris Babikian followed with calls for accountability and recognition of the genocide. From the Ontario NDP, Leader Marit Stiles, Deputy Leader Doly Begum, and MPP Alexa Gilmour reaffirmed their support for justice for Tamils. MPP Andrea Hazell, representing the Ontario Liberal Party, added her voice to the growing chorus demanding justice for the atrocities committed by the Sri Lankan state.

The Tamil Youth Organisation (TYO) played a key role in the event, with speeches by Ahara Ramanan and Anees Satheeskumar that centred on the importance of youth-led remembrance and the continuing struggle for Tamil self-determination. Kaaviya Sivasankaran of the Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance (CTYA) also addressed the gathering.

Brampton City Councillor Rod Power spoke about the importance of the Tamil Genocide Monument in fostering public awareness, while Toronto City Councillor Parthi Kandavel urged the Canadian government to uphold its commitment to human rights and Tamil self-determination. TDSB Trustees Yalini Rajakulasingam and Anu Sriskandarajah reflected on the importance of Tamil Genocide Education Week and praised the engagement of Tamil Canadian students. Kathy McDonald, Peel District School Board Trustee, emphasised the importance of empowering Tamil youth to share their stories within the education system.

As the sun set, the commemoration concluded with a candlelight vigil. Thousands of Tamil Canadians joined together, reaffirming their collective oath to continue advocating for international recognition of the Tamil genocide, accountability for war crimes, remedial justice for survivors, and the right to self-determination for the Tamil people.

See more photographs below.