CBC Archives

Have students explore the clip Inderjit Singh Reyat's plea bargain, including the Did You Know? sections, on the topic The Air India Investigation on the CBC Digital Archives website. Write this quote, from Mandeep Cheema who lost his father on Flight 182, on the board: “No person that has lost a family member in the plane will agree to this, will be satisfied with five years.”

Discuss student responses to the plea bargain and how they think the victims’ families might feel.

Direct students back to the Web site and have them work in groups of 3 to 4 to review Clips #3 through #10.

As they review the clips, have students organize their point-form notes on the download sheet A Letter of Hope. They should include the various clip numbers, events, details, and evidence of why the event is important. Students assume the role of a family member of one of the crash victims, and write a letter to the Canadian government to express how they feel. Their notes will help them understand and express the feelings of the victims’ families.

Have students share their letters with the class. They should explain and support their emotions and opinions. Create a bulletin-board display of the letters.

Students can create a fictitious letter from government as a response. They can discuss how government might respond to such an emotional appeal from victims’ families and the challenge of supporting people while following policies and laws.