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Canada stands by unity and integrity of India: Harper

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Press Trust of India Vancouver
Canada, where some pro-Khalistan groups are still active, today pledged support for the unity and integrity of India.

"Canada overwhelmingly stands by the unity and integrity of India," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said during a reception hosted for his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

The assurance assumes significance as some pro-Khalistan groups are still active in Canada.

Harper, who spent about fifty hours of his time with Modi travelling with him from Ottawa to Toronto to Vancouver earlier accompanied the Indian leader during his to visit the Air India Memorial in Toronto to pay tributes to the 329 people, mostly of Indian-origin, killed in the Kanishka bombing in 1985.
 

The Montreal-New Delhi Air India 'Kanishka' Flight 182 exploded 45 minutes before it was to have landed at London's Heathrow Airport on June 23, 1985.

The bombing was blamed on Sikh militants in retaliation to Operation Blue Star to flush out militants from the Golden Temple in 1984.

At the reception, Harper said that India and Canada are working together to meet security challenges, including terrorism.

Talking about bilateral cooperation, he said, "There is much to celebrate but much work is still to be done. I have no doubts that because of the vision you (Modi) have, we will do it.

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First Published: Apr 17 2015 | 8:57 PM IST

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