David Poopalapillai, a spokesman for the Canadian Tamil Congress, said while he discourages people from making the "treacherous" voyage by sea, he understands they are doing it out of desperation.
While the civil war between government forces and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels ended little more than a year ago, he said ethnic tensions remain high.
"If you go really deeply into the Sri Lankan situation, right now Tamils are still a persecuted minority," he said. "They are still subject to torture and rape."
Canadian authorities are currently monitoring the vessel which is believed to be headed for British Columbia where a similar ship carrying 76 Sri Lankan migrants arrived last fall. After that incident, it was widely rumoured that more ships would try to come to Canada.
"The thing is that Canada has always been considered one of the safest havens," Poopalapillai said. "Not only by Tamils . . . for marginalized communities all around the world."
Sri Lanka's Sunday Observer, a newspaper often criticized as biased due to the fact that it's state-owned, reported last Sunday that the MV Sun Sea was headed for the Canadian coast.
Initially destined for Australia, the report suggests Sri Lankan authorities tipped Canberra to the threat, prompting the ship's change of course about two weeks ago.
The 59-metre ship was recently seen in the Gulf of Thailand, according to the Observer, and it set sail for Canada last week.
The report suggests the vessel has been used for gun running in the past and that "hardcore" Tamil terror leaders are among the passengers.
Foreign Affairs said it's aware of the report and that anybody caught smuggling humans would be prosecuted.
"Those responsible for migrant smuggling will be pursued, investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of Canadian law and in accordance with the provisions of international conventions and protocols," spokeswoman Ambra Dickie said.
The Sun Sea has been under close watch by the Canadian government since May.
Canada and Australia had asked Thai officials then to board two vessels allegedly set to ferry migrants to the two countries.
Officials at the Thai Embassy in Ottawa could not confirm whether any searches took place.
Celyeste Power, a spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, called the reports a "prime example of individuals trying to take advantage of our generous immigration system."
That said, future asylum seekers will be subject to Canada's new streamlined refugee system which was passed by the Senate last month.
The new Balanced Refugee Reform Act sets shorter deadlines for handling refugee claims, creates an appeal division for the first time, and also beefs up resources in a bid to clear the backlog of almost 60,000 claims in the system.
The new legislation will ultimately allow refugee claimants from a list of countries considered respectful of human rights to appeal a negative ruling.
Appeals will be fast-tracked, and those who appeal a failed ruling as far as the Federal Court of Canada, can be deported while waiting for the court to act.
Many of the 76 asylum seekers who arrived on the Ocean Lady, a similar-sized vessel, last October joined Toronto's large Tamil community after being released from custody.
About a third of them were detained for several months on suspicion of being Tamil Tigers but were released under strict conditions due to a lack of evidence. According to the Immigration and Refugee Board, all 76 migrants have since made refugee claims and the board has deemed all are eligible to be heard.
With files from the National Post
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