Atmosphere of Trust
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last leg of 3-nation tour, addressed the Indian Diaspora in Toronto’s Ricoh Coliseum on April 15, and said “There is one solution to all the problems and that is development”. During his speech at Ricoh Coliseum, Prime Minister Modi said, India is a large country and it will take time to clean. “There is a new atmosphere of trust in our nation. India is a large country and it will take time to clean” adding that the problem is old and it will take time but you can see there is a change in the people. “In times of crisis we do not see the colour of anyone’s passport. We do everything possible for people,” he said.
He stressed on “Skill India” and said that skill development can lead any country towards development. “We want our youth to be job creators not job seekers. Skill development is very important. I can tell you, India has the strength, what is needed is opportunity,” Mr Modi said. While highlighting the India’s successful mission mars, he said the mission was an example of Indian talent; as India reached mars on price less than making of a Hollywood film.
“Our Mars mission cost less than what it takes to make a Hollywood film... Our cost worked out to less than an auto rickshaw ride in any Indian city at Rs. 7 per km.” Prime Minister while wooing the Ricoh Coliseum crowd said, earlier our identity was “Scam India” we have to change the notion around the world now to “Skill India”. “Earlier India was known as ‘Scam India’, we want it should be known for ‘Skill India’” Mr Modi said.
Earlier, Mr Narendra Modi arrived at the Toronto Pearson International Airport, traveling from Ottawa with his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper, along with the latter’s wife Laureen on the same aircraft. Mr Modi was greeted by a large number of the Indian community here, who clicked photos, before shaking hands with the Indian Prime Minister.

Air India Memorial

PM Modi at the Air India Memorial site in Toronto with Prime Minister of Canada Mr Stephen Harper

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 16, 2015 visited the memorial in Toronto for the victims of Air India Flight 182 that was bombed in 1985. Mr Modi was accompanied by his Canadian counterpart Mr Stephen Harper during the visit. “PM @narendramodi and @pmharper at the Air India memorial,” Mr Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson of the external affairs ministry, tweeted.
Air India Flight 182, a Boeing 747 named “Kanishka”, flying on the Montreal-London-New Delhi route on June 23, 1985, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean after being bombed while in Irish airspace. All 329 passengers and crew on board were killed in the tragedy. Of them, 268 were Canadian citizens, mostly of Indian descent. There were 24 Indian and 27 Britons as well. Mr Modi, along with Mr Harper, interacted with the relatives of the victims who had gathered at the memorial.
Earlier on April 16, Mr Modi met leading Canadian CEOs here after meeting Canadian bankers and pension fund managers as part of his push for attracting investments to India. Canada is the last leg of Modi’s three-nation tour, during which he has pushed the ambitious “Make in India” initiative and signed several agreements, including a deal on the supply of uranium to power India’s civilian nuclear programme. Mr Modi arrived in Toronto from Ottawa on April 15 and addressed a 10,000-strong crowd of Indo-Canadians. Later on April 16, he travelled to Vancouver, from where he flew back to India.