Canadians joining together to support victims of Flight 752
The downing of a civilian airliner in Iran — and the deaths of 176 people, including 57 Canadians — has united us in disbelief, anger and grief. In the shadow of this tragedy, we have the opportunity to join together in generosity, kindness and community.
On Monday, we announced the creation of Canada Strong — a campaign to raise $1.5 million for the families of the Canadians who died in the attack. (You can find the donation page at torontofoundation.ca/canadastrongcampaign.)
For the families, this will provide important financial support as they endure the most difficult time imaginable. It’s also a chance for us — their fellow citizens — to express our support in a way that will make a positive difference.
I was proud to be among the first to make a donation. And I will be covering any and all expenses related to the campaign — so that every penny we raise goes directly to the families of the victims. The Toronto Foundation and the law firm Dentons Canada LLP have also stepped up to help.
It’s natural to feel powerless — even helpless — in the aftermath of such a tragic event. Money is not the most important thing in the world, but it’s one useful way that we can express our sympathy and our solidarity. Funeral costs and lost income can add to the immeasurable strain these families are already feeling.
The Canadian passengers on Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 were mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. They were friends, neighbours and colleagues. They were celebrating or working toward important milestones. They were young and old. Above all else, they were Canadians, looking forward to coming home.
Over the past several days, we have learned the names of many of those who died. We have read and heard about their achievements, their challenges and their hopes. We have seen photographs from their lives.
Today, we feel their absence in cities and towns across our country. This is a deep Canadian loss. On Twitter, an American told of his heartbreak as he stood in the cafeteria of a Quebec ski resort and watched people crowd around a television as it broadcast stories about those lost in the attack. “Many tears, total silence,” he wrote.
What makes Canada special is not that we tolerate different races, religions and cultures. It’s that we celebrate our diversity. We are a country that welcomes people from all over the world — because we understand that doing so makes us stronger.
We are not just a country. We are a family. And families pull together in times of crisis and need.
Let’s stand arm in arm with those who are in pain.
Let’s ensure that in these difficult moments, the families of the Flight 752 passengers feel the embrace of an entire nation. Let’s show them — and the world — what it means to be part of the Canadian family.