Canada to Pay Families of Victims Aboard Plane

Trudeau says he'll still pressure Iran for compensation
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 17, 2020 5:13 PM CST
Updated Jan 17, 2020 5:25 PM CST
Not Waiting for Iran, Canada Offers Families Compensation
Canadian officials, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, observe a moment of silence during a memorial for the victims of the Ukrainian plane crash on Sunday in Edmonton.   (Todd Korol/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada will offer compensation to families of those killed when Iran shot down a Ukranian airliner to help with travel and funeral expenses, the National Post reports. The government will offer the families $25,000 per victim — about $19,000 US — and will continue to pressure the Iranian government to provide compensation, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday. The crash killed 57 Canadians and 29 permanent residents. "We expect Iran to compensate these families, but they can’t wait weeks," Trudeau said. "They need support now." If they receive money from Iran, the families will not have to repay the Canadian government. To help the families travel, Trudeau said Canada will expedite visas and waive fees.

The prime minister and several cabinet members have been traveling Canada since the plane was shot down Jan. 8, attending vigils and meeting with the victims' families, per the New York Times. Canada's foreign affairs minister's office issued a statement saying that he had met with "deeply hurt and angry" families, per CNN. None has received their family members' remains yet from Iran. Canada's Transportation Safety Board is involved in the investigation of the crash with Iran, though the two nations don't have diplomatic relations. Trudeau said Canada and Iran are still negotiating where the plane's black boxes and other data will go for the investigation. (A video shows a second missile striking the Ukrainian airliner.)

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