Senator Omidvar Speaks to the PS752 Tragedy in the Senate

On February 4, 2020 Senator Omidvar spoke in the Senate to express condolences and support to the victims of the tragic crash.  Watch the Senator Omidvar’s remarks and read the full transcript below:

I rise in grief and mourning to pay tribute the victims of flight PS752 from Tehran that killed all 176 passengers and crew on board. This is a tragedy touches many, but in particular it touches us here in Canada.

Of the 176 passengers on board, 138 were headed to Canada.  Many were returning from holidays, others were returning to start the school year. A full 57 were Canadian citizens of Iranian descent, a further 29 were permanent residents to Canada from Iran. At least 40 were foreign students or academics in colleges and universities across Canada, particularly in Edmonton.  There is therefore no way of knowing how many future Canadians we lost on that flight.

A map of their lives tells us that many were doctors, lawyers, professors and scientists. And many more were destined to become contributing members of our society. But it would be wrong to measure our loss in terms of future contributions. The real loss is the loss of a child, a mother, a brother, a friend. No price can be put on them, no price can put on the grief that is running like a river through Canada’s Iranian community.

We are community, of just over 200,000 in Canada, arriving – like me – mostly after the revolution in 1978. There are less than six degrees of separation between us. Everyone knows someone who knows someone on that flight.

It is inevitable that this tragedy dredges up memories of another crash nearly 35 years ago. As someone who is connected by birth to India, by marriage to Iran and by citizenship to Canada, my three worlds collided together in a tragic way.

The response then in 1985 to the largest mass killing of Canadians was muted. The tragedy was treated as a foreign tragedy.  We all know the sad story of the Air India victims and their long, hard fight to get attention and justice as Canadians.

In comparison today, the families of the victims are receiving immediate personal attention, financial compensation and support from the government of Canada and Canadians. And they need this support to disentangle the enormous difficulties they face.

If there is one thing that gives me solace it is to see how our nation has come together. We have demonstrated by words and actions that we ARE a nation of immigrants, that we not only celebrate our diversity, but mourn collectively as a nation when there is a significant loss.

History may well show that we have finally come of age, embracing and recognizing that a hyphenated Canadian is not a lesser Canadian.

Click here to read my reflection about PS752