Canada PM Justin Trudeau to deliver formal apology over the fate of St. Louis and passengers
Ottawa, May 9 (IBNS): Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will formally apologise in the House of Commons over the tragic fate of St. Louis and its passengers, who were denied an entry to the country in 1939.
On May 13, 1939, MS St. Louis departed Germany with around thousand passengers to seek safety and persecution.
Like Cuba and the United States, Canada also denied all those immigrants an entry to the country due to its "none is too many" policy then.
The refugees were forced to return to Europe, where many of them were condemned to the concentration camps.
Out of the total passengers, 254 were murdered during the Holocaust.
In a statement, Trudeau said: "When Canada denied asylum to the 907 German Jews on board the MS St. Louis, we failed not only those passengers, but also their descendants and community. An apology in the House of Commons will not rewrite this shameful chapter of our history. It will not bring back those who perished or repair the lives shattered by tragedy.
"But it is our collective responsibility to acknowledge this difficult truth, learn from this story, and continue to fight against anti-Semitism every day, as we give meaning to the solemn vow: ‘Never again.’ I look forward to offering this apology on the floor of the House.”
Trudeau made the announcement while speaking at the March of the Living's 30th Anniversary.
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