She walked with Prime Minister Harper to lay the first official government wreath on the memorial.

"It has taken us a long time to reach this stage. While the delay was because it was never seen as a Canadian tragedy, the important thing is that this perception has finally changed," Thampi said.

At last the families have 'a place to remember, reflect and contemplate on our loved ones', she told rediff.com.

"It is a large enough memorial and it justifies the enormity of the calamity that befell us. I hope the families will find some peace here. We never got any justice but I hope that in this memorial, we will get closure."

The public inquiry headed by Justice John Major is in progress in Ottawa. Even though Thampi was unsure whether the families 'will ever get justice, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers working on the case are very, very dedicated'.

The base on which the sundial has been installed is made up of stones from India, Japan, the US, England and all provinces and territories of Canada.

The granite wall has the names of all the 331 people (329 victims on Flight 182 and two Japanese baggage handlers at Narita Airport who died when a bomb in a suitcase exploded) etched on it.

"After what these families have gone through for more than 20 years, it's important to give them something respectful and beautiful," Peter Klambauer, Air India memorial's project manager for the City of Toronto, said.

The memorial has been paid for by the federal, Ontario and Toronto governments.

There is a single bench placed in the memorial, which has 'reconciliation' inscribed on it and there is a path from the memorial at Humber East Park to a part of Lake Ontario.