Trudeau talks of ‘human rights, rule of law’ in congratulatory message to Modi
On X, Trudeau congratulating Modi said Canada is ready to work with his government to advance ties between the two nations 'anchored to human rights, diversity, and rule of law
Amid the ongoing strain in the ties between India and Canada, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau emphasised the need to anchor the two countries' relationship to ‘human rights, diversity and rule of law’ in his congratulatory message to Narendra Modi
On Wednesday (June 5), the Canadian Prime Minister penned a message on X, congratulating Narendra Modi on his electoral victory.
Notably, further he added, "Canada stands ready to work with his government to advance the relationship between our nations' peoples – anchored to human rights, diversity, and the rule of law.”
India - 'second biggest foreign threat' for Canada
The Canadian PM's post comes in the wake of a report by a high-level Canadian parliamentary panel which concluded that India was the “second biggest foreign threat” to the country's democracy after China.
Trudeau has been vociferously spearheading Canada's tirade against India over the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year.
The two countries are locked in a diplomatic row over Canada’s allegation that Indian agents conspired to murder Nijjar on its soil. New Delhi called the allegation absurd and baseless.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by India's National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed as he came out of a gurdwara in Surrey in June last year.
Foreign interference
Meanwhile, on the high-level panel Canadian parliament report, Justin Trudeau said his government takes the matter of foreign interference “very seriously”.
The report, which was submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office in May, was tabled in Parliament, with redactions, this week.
The report described China as “clearly the most prolific actor” in the context of foreign interference in Canadian democracy. However, the report added that India has displaced Russia and “emerged as the second-most significant foreign interference threat to Canada’s democratic institutions and processes”.
