Trudeau at Thai Pongal festival celebrations in 2018.
Justin Trudeau’s announcement that he will be stepping down as Prime Minister of Canada was not entirely unexpected. Facing mounting pressure from within his own Liberal Party, a worsening housing crisis, and rising inflation that continues to squeeze Canadians, the challenges were piling up. With his popularity fading and federal elections looming later this year, the long-rumoured call was finally made on Monday morning. Though difficulties remain, his decision to resign marks the end of an era defined by landmark achievements, particularly for the hundreds of thousands of Tamil Canadians across the country. For that community, and the millions more Tamils worldwide, Trudeau undertook historic steps and showed bold global leadership that resonated deeply. Yet, as his more than nine years in power ticked on, there remains more that could, and should, have been done.
Even before he came into office in 2015, Trudeau consistently voiced his support for Tamil Canadians and their pursuit of justice for the atrocities in Sri Lanka. In the aftermath of the 2009 genocide, where tens of thousands of Tamils were massacred by the Sri Lankan state as it defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Trudeau and the Liberal Party said they stood firmly for accountability, calling for an “international, independent investigation” into war crimes in 2014. Despite Colombo’s repeated efforts to resist global pressure into an impartial inquiry, Trudeau persisted. His government continued to support successive resolutions at the United Nations Human Rights Council that kept the demand for accountability alive, even as Sri Lanka rejected them.
With victim-survivors around the world and in Canada, continuing to demand international action, in 2022 the House of Commons unanimously adopted a motion recognising May 18 as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day. It was a hugely significant step, making it the first parliament in the world to officially recognise the Tamil genocide. Trudeau himself marked the occasion annually, with statements demanding justice for the crimes that were committed.
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Trudeau tries his hand at a Tamil martial art at a street festival in 2015.
The move enraged the Sri Lankan state, which has stubbornly refused to acknowledge its atrocities, let alone prosecute those responsible. To this day, it still has war criminals in senior military positions and continues to maintain one of the largest militaries in the world per capita in the occupied Tamil homeland. Colombo even summoned Canada’s envoy in protest of the use of the term ‘genocide’ for a proposed monument in Brampton last year - a testament to the significance of Trudeau’s stand. His continued words on the need for justice, including on key dates such as the anniversary of the Black July pogrom, acknowledged what Tamils had been stating for decades. Sri Lanka’s crimes were systematic and went beyond acts committed during the fog of war. They were calculated to bring about the destruction of the Tamil nation. Trudeau recognised that and was willing to remain vocal on the issue.
It wasn’t all just words from the Prime Minister’s office. His administration took bold steps by sanctioning the Rajapaksa brothers - former Sri Lankan presidents Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mahinda Rajapaksa - imposing travel bans and asset freezes. Canada remains the first and only country to have sanctioned these men, who are widely regarded as bearing the highest responsibility for the massacres of Eelam Tamils.
Trudeau at Thai Pongal festival celebrations in 2019.
Trudeau also clearly demonstrated an effort to go beyond policy statements and attempted to build a personal connection with the Tamil Canadian community, praising their resilience and contributions to Canadian society. His regular appearances at Tamil events, where he donned traditional Tamil attire and engaged warmly with locals, were welcomed by many and illustrated the strength of the relationship that has been fostered. For a community still grappling with the trauma of genocide and many rebuilding their lives in Canada, Trudeau’s gestures were a powerful symbol of solidarity.
Coupled with his principled stand on justice for Tamils, Trudeau earned admiration, even from those who did not traditionally support the Liberal Party, spurring him to three federal election victories over the last decade. His actions demonstrated a genuine understanding of the Tamil people’s struggles and aspirations, as well as a willingness to show leadership on the global stage.
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Trudeau meets Tamil Canadians at a street festival in 2015.
However, as the years went by, and as the cost of living, housing affordability, and strained healthcare systems became increasingly pressing concerns, momentum on this key foreign policy issue began to slow. While Canada continued to push for action at the UN Human Rights Council, the resolutions at the global body themselves became increasingly toothless. Despite recognising the genocide, Trudeau’s government did not pursue action in other international forums, such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) or International Court of Justice (ICJ). While the individual sanctions on Sri Lankan officials were historic, they were ultimately just a drop in the ocean, limited to just four individuals, leaving hundreds of other war criminals untouched. The list of those sanctioned has not been expanded in years nor has any significant prosecution taken place for the crimes committed. To date, not a single person has been held accountable for the killing of over 160,000 Eelam Tamils in 2009.
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Trudeau meets with Tamil Canadians at a Tamil Heritage Month event in 2024.
More than 15 years after the genocide, this stagnation opened the door for critics and left a gap that opposition leaders have been quick to exploit. They include Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who has stepped up his engagement with Tamil Canadians. Amidst Liberal reluctance, Poilievre has promised to expand sanctions and explore pursuing cases at the ICJ, positioning himself as a leader that will take more forthright action on justice.
In a time of global turbulence, challenges were growing on several different fronts and internal turmoil was engulfing the Liberal Party. Trudeau’s work on Sri Lanka and the slowing pace of action on it, was perhaps a microcosm of his tenure in total and a sign his time in office was coming to a close. His experience does however offer critical lessons for his successor in some important areas. Firstly, the next prime minister cannot afford to overlook the Tamil Canadian community, whose growing political and cultural influence make them a vital constituency. Their demands and aspirations must remain closely tied to both Canada’s domestic and foreign policy. More broadly, alongside tackling domestic concerns, Canada must also deepen its commitment to accountability and human rights globally, ensuring that symbolic gestures are matched with substantive action. This is not just for the atrocities in Sri Lanka, but in other places around the world too.
As Trudeau prepares to step down, Tamils in Canada and worldwide will undoubtedly miss an ally and a friend in office. While his tenure was not without its shortcomings, he leaves behind a legacy of progress that his successor must build upon. The job is far from done.