The Supreme Court of Canada upheld a provincial law to commemorate the killing of thousands of civilians in Sri Lanka’s military offensive in 2009, contrary to news articles and social media posts that falsely claimed the court had violated legislation and recommended “genocide-free.” The decision dismissed an appeal seeking invalid Tamil Genocide Education Week Act nation.
“The Supreme Court of Canada said there is no genocide in Sri Lanka and has determined that the Tamil Genocide Education Cycle Act No. 104 under the Canadian Constitution is not in jurisdictional education,” part of Sri Lanka’s retired military Main General Chagie Gallage published on March 29, 2025 (Archive Link).
The post includes a screenshot of whatsApp message that appears to be a link to the Ontario Policy Research Center, which describes itself as a think tank (archive link).
Screenshot of False Facebook post was captured on March 31, 2025
Similar The claim spreads elsewhere on Facebook. Local newspapers now and online islands and several Sinhalese language media also reported that the court ruled that the law of Canada, Ontario, Canada, was unconstitutional.
The claims were filed after an appeal on Canadian Supreme Court garbage challenged Ontario Bill 104, also known as the Tamil Genocide Education Week Act (here, here and here for archive links).
The law, enacted in 2021, specifies the annual week in May, during which “Ontarians are encouraged to educate themselves and maintain awareness of Tamil genocide and other genocides that have occurred in world history” (here is the archived link” (here is the archived link).
Vijay Thanigasalam, a member of the provincial council, fled Sri Lanka during the decades of civil war when he was a child, and he wrote the bill (link to archive).
The fascinating Tamil separatist war of the island nations in South Asia ended in May 2009. It is estimated that more than 40,000 people were killed by government forces in the last few months of the war, and Colombu has been denied a charge.
On March 24, 2025, the British government announced the target of former head of the Sri Lankan armed forces Shavendra Silva, former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda and former Army Commander Jagath Jayasuriya (archive Link). The Foreign Ministry said four people were responsible for “serious human rights violations and violations” during the war.
Claims Canada’s Supreme Court says no genocide Wrong.
“Based on the available material, there is no evidence that the Supreme Court of Canada said about the genocide in (Sri Lanka),” said Kalana Senaratne, senior lecturer in law at Peradeniya in an April 11 email (a link to archive).
Misunderstood the ruling
In a March 27 ruling, the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed the Tamil Genocide Education Week Act (TGEWA) as the Constitution and insisted on the ruling of the provincial court of appeals in September 2024, which said the law “constitutes the effective exercise of Ontario’s powers” (an archived link here and here).
The Court of Appeal said there was no request to rule that the genocide occurred in Sri Lanka.
“We are not asked to decide whether to use government power wisely. Our decision should not be interpreted in this way,” the court said. Written on September 5, 2024.
“We are also not asked to decide on a genocide in Sri Lanka. As the applicant judge emphasized, this situation is not about whether Tamil genocide has occurred.”
Sri Lanka Canada Action Coalition said in a statement on March 28, 2025 that it acknowledged the Canadian Supreme Court’s ruling (archive link).
“As the ruling itself clarified, the court was not asked to determine whether the genocide occurred in Sri Lanka,” Nonprofit organizations said, adding that it remains “deeply” on the decision’s “wider impact on Ontario’s social cohesion Exceed. ”
Gehan Gunatillea lawyer specializing in international human rights law and a member of the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission, agrees (here and archive links here).
“(The Supreme Court) appears to have dismissed the appeal, which means the previous order of the Court of Appeal and the judgment of the lower court’s position,” he told AFP in an April 8 email.
“This means the Tamil Genocide Week Act is considered constitutional. The (Supreme Court) declaration that Canada has no genocide is wrong.”
