The federal government has appointed Bob Rae, the former NDP premier of Ontario, to look into whether Ottawa should call a public inquiry over the Air India investigation and prosecution.

Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan announced that Rae will act as an independent "eminent person" to advise the federal government on whether such an inquiry would be:

  • Possible and feasible, given that 20 years has passed since the 1985 bombings and key witnesses may be unavailable or unreliable.
  • Useful in coming up with measures to prevent a repeat of problems encountered in the investigation, given the government's contention that all significant problems have already been addressed.

Former Ontario premier Bob Rae.
Former Ontario premier Bob Rae.

"Only when we have a good understanding of any outstanding questions that can reasonably be answered now can we decide on the next steps," said McLellan in a statement announcing Rae's appointment. "But I want to emphasize that I am open to all options."

In considering whether a public inquiry should be called, Rae will review the information gathered in the case, and will speak to victims' relatives as well as government officials.

"I want to listen to them. I want to hear them. I want to spend time with them. I want to work this through with them," Rae said, adding that he'd like to start meeting with family members by the end of the week.

Relatives of the 329 people killed when Air India Flight 182 exploded off the coast of Ireland en route from Toronto to India via London have long called for a public inquiry.

Those calls became more heated in March, when two suspects in the attack were set free after a lengthy trial found them not guilty of bombing Flight 182 and planting a bomb in a suitcase loaded aboard another Air India flight in June 1985.

The second bomb killed two baggage handlers when it exploded at Japan's Narita airport.

The British Columbia judge hearing the case said he could not convict Sikh businessman Ripudaman Singh Malik and sawmill worker Ajaib Singh Bagri based on the evidence presented by the Crown.

Angry relatives countered by accusing police and the Crown of bungling the investigation, citing their inability to infiltrate Vancouver's close-knit Sikh community and the fact that key documents in the case were destroyed before the case came to trial.

Rae, a lawyer who served as Ontario's premier from 1990 to 1995, has since volunteered for several community organizations.

He also prepared a major report on the future of post-secondary education funding for Ontario's Liberal government. That report was released in February 2005.