What Gary Anandasangarees Appointment Means for Sri Lanka

 

In a significant political development, Sri Lankan-born Canadian MP Gary Anandasangaree has been appointed as Canada’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General under Prime Minister Mark Carney’s newly formed government. This marks his second cabinet appointment in recent months, solidifying his growing influence within Canadian politics.

On December 20, 2024, under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Anandasangaree was sworn in as the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs. This reshuffle merged responsibilities previously shared with outgoing Minister Dan Vandal. However, in the March 14, 2025, cabinet reorganization under Mark Carney, Anandasangaree retained his role while also taking on the crucial justice portfolio. This expansion of his responsibilities demonstrates the trust placed in him to oversee both Indigenous affairs and Canada’s judicial system.

A Liberal MP representing Scarborough–Rouge Park in Ontario, Anandasangaree plays a key role in Carney’s streamlined cabinet. His appointment is particularly significant for the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora and human rights activists, given his longstanding advocacy for justice and accountability concerning Sri Lanka’s civil war.

A Sri Lankan Tamil Voice in Canadian Politics
Born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, in 1973 as Sathyasangaree Anandasangaree, he is the son of V. Anandasangaree, a prominent Tamil politician and former leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF). His family's history is deeply intertwined with Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict. Following the 1983 Black July anti-Tamil riots, his family fled to Ireland before settling in Canada.

Anandasangaree has been a vocal advocate for Tamil rights and accountability for war crimes committed during Sri Lanka’s civil war. He has actively pushed for sanctions against Sri Lankan officials linked to human rights violations and supported Canada's recognition of May 18 as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day—making Canada the first country to do so.

As a lawyer, he represented Canada at the United Nations Human Rights Council, documenting violence in Sri Lanka and advocating for justice for Tamil victims. In 2015, he was elected as an MP, and by 2023, he became Canada’s first Sri Lankan Tamil cabinet minister when he was appointed Minister of Indigenous Relations. His latest appointment as Justice Minister marks a further rise in his political career.

Implications for Sri Lanka

Anandasangaree’s growing influence in Canadian politics has been met with criticism from Sinhala Buddhist nationalist groups in Sri Lanka. They have accused him—wrongly—of being an LTTE sympathizer, reflecting deep-seated tensions surrounding Sri Lanka’s past conflicts. Despite this, he remains a strong advocate for justice for Tamil victims and continues to push for international accountability.

His appointment has been widely celebrated by the Tamil diaspora and Sri Lankan human rights organizations, who see it as a step forward in strengthening international pressure on Sri Lanka regarding justice and reconciliation. His dual role as Canada’s Attorney General and Minister for Indigenous Relations could further amplify discussions on war crimes, human rights, and accountability on global platforms.

For Sri Lanka, this signifies an increasingly prominent voice for Tamil advocacy in international politics—one that could influence Canada’s foreign policy stance on Sri Lanka in the coming years.