Minister refuses to meet Tamil protesters

By KENNETH JACKSON, SUN MEDIA

OTTAWA -- Tamil-Canadian protesters took down their flags once again yesterday, hoping to facilitate a meeting with the federal government.

But Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon's office dashed their hopes by refusing to meet. Protesters have been on the sidewalks along Wellington St. in front of Parliament Hill around the clock since April 7 and vow to stay until the government helps achieve a ceasefire in Sri Lanka.

The protest includes people who have been staging a hunger strike since April 8.

TERRORISTS

Government representatives have refused to meet the protesters as long as they continue to support the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a group fighting for a separate state in the south Asian country. They are listed as a terrorist group by Canada.

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