Trudeau rakes up Nijjar murder, tells panel earlier Canada govt was ‘cosy’ with India

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently brought up the assassination of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar to assert that his government was firm on protecting all Canadians, including immigrants, news agency ANI has reported.

Trudeau was testifying at a public hearing of the Foreign Interference Commission headed by Quebec judge Marie-Josee Hogue when he made the remarks. The panel was probing into foreign interference in the Canadian elections in 2019 and 2021.

Trudeau set up the commission last year after the Opposition pressured the government over media reports on China’s possible meddling in the elections. While Canadian intelligence reports claimed that China had indeed tried to interfere in the last two Canadian elections, Trudeau asserted that the polls had been “free and fair”.

Previous govt was “cosy” with India: Trudeau

However, he accused the previous Conservative government of being “cosy” with the current Indian government. He made the remark upon being asked whether appropriate steps had been taken to expose foreign interference.

“I think that’s certainly a question one needs to ask of the previous conservative government that was known for its very cosy relationship with the current Indian government. Whereas our government has always stood up to defend minorities in Canada and the rights of minorities to speak out, even if it irritates their home countries overseas,” Trudeau can be heard saying in a video shared by media outlets.

“We have stood up for Canadians”

To a question on foreign interference, Trudeau can be heard saying, “…I will say that the principle that anyone who comes to Canada from anywhere in the world has all the rights of a Canadian to be free from extortion, coercion, and interference from a country that they left behind and how we have stood up for Canadians, including in the very serious case that I brought forward to Parliament of the killing of (Hardeep Singh) Nijjar, demonstrates our government’s commitment to defending the rights and freedoms of Canadians.”

He asserted that the suggestion that his government had not done enough to “defend Canadian rules and values and defend Canadians from foreign interference [was] simply misplaced”.

Frosty ties

Trudeau’s allegation last September of a potential involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar’s assassination in June 2023 jeopardised India-Canada relations for months, with Delhi temporarily suspending issuing visas to Canadian citizens and asking Ottawa to remove its diplomats from India.

India, which had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020, rubbished Trudeau’s charge as “absurd”, and slammed Canada for harbouring Khalistani extremists who target India. However, Delhi has backed down of late, and is now cooperating with Canada in the probe, leading to a thaw in the frosty ties, a Canadian official was reported as saying in January.

(With agency inputs)