Former Ontario premier Bob Rae and Public Security Minister Anne McLellan met family members of victims of the Air India bombings on Saturday for the first time since Rae was named to investigate the possibility of a public inquiry.

Many of the grieving family members demanded an inquiry into the 1985 tragedy after two British Columbia Sikhs were acquitted in March of murder and conspiracy charges.

An Air India jumbo jet was blown out of the sky over the Atlantic Ocean near Ireland, killing 329 people, less than an hour after two baggage handlers were killed in Japan by an explosion in a cargo container that was taken off another Air India plane. Both aircraft originated in Vancouver.

Bob Rae called the first meeting in Vancouver "very positive" and "very emotional."

McLellan refused to hold a public inquiry in the aftermath of the acquittals. As criticism of her mounted, she appointed Rae to look into the issue.

"I will take the advice he has to offer," McLellan told reporters Saturday after she met with the families.

Neither McLellan nor Rae would discuss what came up in the four-hour meeting, but Rae said he now feels "much better informed."

"I had a very positive, and, as you will understand, a very emotional meeting with the families and we're going to go forward," Rae said.

Eric Beauchesne, a Vancouver resident whose father was killed on the bombed airplane, said Rae reached out to the relatives and led them in a minute of silence.

"I think Mr. Rae showed a really deep level of commitment. He really tried to connect with us emotionally and intelligently and he really proved he was listening to some of our concerns."

McLellan has also asked Rae to review transportation and security measures taken by the government since 1985.