Tension between the need to open up trade and past disputes between Canada and other governments is emerging ahead of Prime Minister Carney’s India trip.
With Prime Minister Carney heading to India for trade talks, some tensions are emerging within the government. As noted in recent reports, a Canadian official recently stated that India is no longer engaged in alleged interference:
“Canada says it believes India is not currently linked to violent crimes or threats on Canadian soil — a shift in tone after accusing New Delhi of carrying out an extrajudicial killing of a Sikh separatist in Canada in 2023.
“I think we could say we’re confident that that activity is not continuing,” a senior government official told reporters on Wednesday.
Some members of Canada’s Sikh community reject that assessment, calling it “absolute fiction” and alleging that they continue to face threats from India. India has repeatedly denied any involvement in transnational repression.”
However, it would appear that Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal disagrees, as he posted a statement on Twitter denouncing the government official’s claim:
“I firmly denounce remarks by a government official downplaying India’s transnational repression.
They contradict assessments from the NSIA, the RCMP, and CSIS. This matter must be addressed, and the individual’s conduct and suitability for their role must be reviewed.”
In part, we are seeing a divergence between the more pragmatic and business/trade-focused Carney government and the Trudeau government, which had found itself embroiled in significant tensions with India. It remains to be seen how the government will manage these tensions, particularly given the need to sign trade deals at a rapid pace as we seek to deal with a much less reliable United States.
Spencer Fernando
Image – YouTube
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