CP
Le premier ministre Justin Trudeau a affirmé lundi qu'il offrira à nouveau les excuses officielles du Canada, mais aux Communes cette fois, pour le renvoi en 1914 d'un navire sur lequel arrivaient des centaines de migrants indiens, au port de Vancouver.
Ces excuses seront offertes le 18 mai, presque 102 ans après l'incident du Komagata Maru, un navire parti de Hong Kong. À leur arrivée à Vancouver, les 376 passagers qui se trouvaient à bord - la plupart des sikhs - se sont vu refuser l'entrée au pays en raison des lois canadiennes d'immigration de l'époque.
Le bateau est finalement reparti vers Calcutta, en Inde, où au moins 19 personnes furent tuées lors d'un accrochage avec des soldats britanniques; d'autres passagers furent quant à eux emprisonnés.
L'ex-premier ministre conservateur Stephen Harper s'était déjà excusé pour cet incident en 2008, lors d'un événement en Colombie-Britannique, mais les membres de la communauté sikhe du Canada demandaient que des excuses officielles soient présentées au Parlement. Les libéraux appuient cette demande depuis 2008 et M. Trudeau s'y était engagé lors de la dernière campagne électorale.
"On les a complètement laissé tomber", a admis lundi le premier ministre Trudeau, dans un discours lors de la célébration à Ottawa du Vaisakhi, une fête sikhe. "Comme nation, nous ne devrions jamais oublier les préjugés dont a souffert la communauté sikhe de la part du gouvernement canadien de l'époque. Nous ne devrions pas oublier et nous n'oublierons pas", a-t-il promis.
"Des excuses présentées devant la Chambre des communes n'effaceront ni la douleur ni les souffrances de ceux qui ont vécu cette expérience honteuse. Mais des excuses s'imposent, c'est ce qu'il faut faire, et la Chambre est l'endroit qui convient pour les présenter."
On compte aujourd'hui 17 députés sikhs au Parlement fédéral, dont le ministre de la Défense nationale, Harjit Sajjan. Avant d'être élu aux Communes, M. Sajjan avait été commandant du Régiment de Colombie-Britannique, celui-là même qui avait reçu il y a 102 ans l'ordre du gouvernement canadien de refuser l'accostage des passagers du Komagata Maru.
Voir aussi:
Dîner d'État à la Maison Blanche pour Trudeau
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First lady Michelle Obama and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau walk through the White House as they follow their husbands President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the State Dinner in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama, right, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, both wave next to Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, left, and first lady Michelle Obama, during a photograph at the White House during the State Dinner in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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State Department Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson and her husband Jonathan arrive for a state dinner for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Thursday, March 10, 2016, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Grant Hill and his wife Tamia arrive for a State Dinner for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Thursday, March 10, 2016, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Actor Michael J. Fox and his wife Tracy Pollan pose for a photograph as they arrive for a State Dinner for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Thursday, March 10, 2016, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wait to greet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, for a state dinner. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wait to greet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, for a state dinner. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, for a state dinner. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama walk out to greet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, for a state dinner. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wait to greet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, for a state dinner. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama pose for a photo with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, as they arrive for a state dinner. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wait to greet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, center, stepping out of his vehicle at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, for a state dinner. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, for a state dinner. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, for a state dinner. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, for a state dinner. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, for a state dinner. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama pose for a photo with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, as they arrive for a state dinner. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, for a state dinner. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, for a state dinner. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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US President Barack Obama (2nd R) and First Lady Michelle Obama (2nd L) welcome Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau to the White House a State dinner in Washington on March 10, 2016. / AFP / Brendan SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, for a state dinner. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wait to greet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2016, for a state dinner. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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