Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau Archives - Lokmarg

Trudeau Discusses India-Canada Row With UAE Prez

By LokMarg 9th October 2023

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Monday discussed the India-Canada row with the President of UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, stating that it is important to uphold and respect the “rule of law”.

The Canadian PM held a telephone conversation with the President of UAE and the two also spoke about the current situation in Israel. The two leaders expressed concern about the need to protect civilian life.

“On the phone today, His Highness @MohamedBinZayed and I spoke about the current situation in Israel. We expressed our deep concern and discussed the need to protect civilian life,” posted Trudeau on X.

“We also spoke about India and the importance of upholding – and respecting – the rule of law,” his post added.

On Sunday, UK PM Rishi Sunak called for de-escalation of the India-Canada row in a call with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau.

According to a Downing Street statement, Sunak spoke to Trudeau on Friday evening during which he was updated on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India.

“He (Rishi Sunak) hoped to see a de-escalation in the situation and agreed to remain in contact with Prime Minister Trudeau on the next steps,” read the statement.

Sunak also reaffirmed the UK’s position that all countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law, including the principles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Meanwhile, Trudeau updated on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India.

The diplomatic ties between India and Canada deteriorated after the Canadian government expelled a senior Indian diplomat accusing India of playing a role in the assassination of a Khalistani separatist leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

In the aftermath, India swiftly retaliated by issuing a statement that denied any involvement in the issue and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat.

Moreover, amid escalating tensions, India called for parity in the number of Canadian diplomats in India.

Responding to reports claiming that India has asked Canada to remove 41 of its 62 diplomats in the country, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi earlier this month said that Canadian diplomatic presence is much higher in India and they assume “there would be reduction”.

“On discussions on parity, given the much higher presence of diplomats or diplomatic presence here and their interference in our internal matters, we have sought parity in our respective diplomatic presence. Discussions are ongoing to achieve this. Given that Canadian diplomatic presence is higher, we would assume that there would be a reduction,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. (ANI)

Canada Not Looking To Escalate Situation With India: Trudeau

By LokMarg 3rd October 2023

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday said that his country was not “looking to escalate the situation with India,” adding that Ottawa wants remain on the ground in New Delhi to help Canadians, Reuters reported.

“Canada is not looking to escalate the situation with India, will continue to engage responsibly and constructively with New Delhi. We want to be on the ground in India to help the Canadian families there,” Reuters quoted Trudeau as saying.

Trudeau had said last week that Canada is still committed to building closer ties with India, despite “credible allegations of the Indian government’s involvement” in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Canada-based National Post reported. India has rejected the claims as “absurd” and “motivated”.

Pointing to the increasing influence of India worldwide, Trudeau said that it is “extremely important” that Canada and its allies continue to engage with India.

“India is a growing economic power and important geopolitical player. And as we presented with our Indo-Pacific strategy, just last year, we’re very serious about building closer ties with India,” he had told reporters.

“At the same time, obviously, as a rule of law country, we need to emphasize that India needs to work with Canada to ensure that we get the full facts of this matter,” National Post quoted Trudeau as saying.

Trudeau’s remarks have come amid a diplomatic row between India and Canada which started after the Canadian PM levelled allegations.

Nijjar, a designated terrorist in India, was killed outside a gurdwara in Canada’s Surrey on June 18. India has also expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a reciprocal move to Canada expelling a senior Indian diplomat.

During a debate in the Canadian Parliament, Trudeau claimed Canada’s national security officials had reasons to believe that “agents of the Indian government” carried out the killing of Nijjar. India outrightly rejected the claims.

Last week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the Canadian attitude towards terrorists, extremist people who openly advocate violence is very permissive.

“This has been an issue of great friction for many years with Canada. But in the last few years, it has come back very much into play because of what we consider to be a very permissive Canadian attitude towards terrorists, extremist people who openly advocate violence. And they have been given operating space in Canada because of the compulsions of Canadian politics.”

Speaking on the India-Canada row in Washington, Jaishankar stated that the Indian diplomats

“…For us, it has certainly been a country where, organized crime from India, mixed with trafficking in people, mixed with secessionism, violence, terrorism– it’s a very toxic combination of issues and people, who have found operating space there.”

“Today, I’m actually in a situation where my diplomats are unsafe going to the embassy, or to the consulate in Canada. They are publicly intimidated. And that has actually compelled me to temporarily suspend even visa operations in Canada,” he added.

Jaishankar said that he also spoke with the US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and US State Secretary Antony Blinken about Canada.

“The Canadian PM made some allegations initially privately, and then publicly. And our response to him, both in private and public– what he was alleging was not consistent with our policy. And that if he had, if his government had anything relevant and specific they would like us to look into, we were open to looking at it. Now, that’s where that conversation is at this point of time,” Jaishankar said.

Amid strained ties with Canada, India also issued an advisory for its citizens and those who are travelling to Canada to exercise “utmost caution in view of growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence” in the country. (ANI)

Both India And Canada Our Important Partners: US

By LokMarg 21st September 2023

Amid the rising tensions between India and Canada, US State Department’s Hindustani Spokesperson Margaret MacLeod on Thursday emphasized that the US has their own relations with India and Canada, noting that both are important for the United States.

Macleod further said that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations are concerning.

‘The allegations levied by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau are very concerning. We are keeping in touch with our Canadian allies. We urge the Indian govt to cooperate in this investigation,” she added.

Notably, she said, “US and Canada have their own relation and US and India have their own relation, both are important partners for us. But most importantly, the guilty should be brought to justice.”

Earlier today, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, Adrienne Watson rejected reports of the US rebuffing Canada after the latter accused the Indian government of being behind the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Watson said they are “coordinating and consulting” with Canada and also “engaging” with the Indian government.

Watson made the statement in response to reports in the American media that Washington has distanced itself from Canada’s allegation about New Delhi’s involvement in the killing of Nijjar, a wanted Khalistani leader in India. The report highlighted the diplomatic challenges faced by the Biden administration as it seeks to maintain strong relations with both India and Canada.

Earlier, US National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby said “serious allegations” were levelled by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau against India in the killing of Nijjar, adding that the US wanted the matter handled in a “transparent” way.

In an interview with CBS News, an American television news channel, Kirby urged India to cooperate in the investigation. “These allegations are serious and we know that Canadians are investigating and we certainly don’t want to get ahead of that investigation. We urge India to cooperate in that investigation as well,” Kirby said in the interview.

Moreover, on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that the allegations made by Canada regarding the “potential links” of India being behind the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are “politically driven”.

“Yes, I do think there is a degree of prejudice here. They have made allegations and taken action against them. To us, it seems that these allegations by the government of Canada are primarily politically driven,” Bagchi said.

Bilateral relations between India and Canada have hit a sharp downward spiral after Prime Minister Trudeau on Monday alleged that “Indian agents” were behind the shooting of Hardeep Nijjar.

Nijjar, the chief of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) — a Sikh extremist organisation banned by India and a “designated terrorist” was killed in a targeted shooting at British Columbia in Canada’s Surrey in June 2018.

India, however, rejected the allegations by the Trudeau administration, terming them “absurd” and “motivated”.

“We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. (ANI)

Trudeau In India, Khalistani Separatists Hold ‘Referendum’ In Canada

By LokMarg 11th September 2023

Even as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in India for the G20 Leaders’ summit on Sunday, Khalistani secessionists held a so-called ‘Referendum’ in Surrey, British Columbia.

Designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the founder of the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), was present at the gathering of the Khalistani separatists held at the Guru Nanak Singh Gurudwara in Surrey, Vancouver.

In a provocative speech, Pannun used intimidating language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and other leaders. He claimed that the separatists were challenging the territorial integrity of India.

Prime Minister Modi had on Sunday raised “strong concerns” about the continuous “anti-India activities” by extremist elements in Canada in his pull-aside meeting with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.

Prime Minister Modi stated that it was essential for the two countries to cooperate in dealing with such threats.

“The Prime Minister conveyed our strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada. They are promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

It added, “The nexus of such forces with organized crime, drug syndicates and human trafficking should be a concern for Canada as well. It is essential for the two countries to cooperate in dealing with such threats”. Prime Minister Modi also mentioned that a relationship based on mutual respect and trust is essential for the progress of the India-Canada relationship.”

After his meeting with PM Modi, Trudeau in a news conference said that he had many conversations with PM Modi on the issue of Khalistan extremism and “foreign interference”, and Canada would always defend freedom of expression, and at the same time will always be there to prevent violence.

He further emphasized that the “actions of the few” do not represent the entire community or Canada. “Both the issues came up. Over the years, with PM Modi, we have had many conversations on both of those issues. Canada will always defend freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, and freedom of peaceful protest and it is extremely important to us. At the same time, we are always there to prevent violence and to push back against hatred,” Trudeau said.

He added, “I think on the issue of the community, it is important to remember that the actions of the few do not represent the entire community or Canada. The flip side of it, we also highlighted the importance of respecting the rule of law and we did talk about foreign interference”.

Earlier this month, Canadian authorities had withdrawn permission to hold the so-called ‘referendum’ at a public school in Canada after concerns were raised over promotional materials that featured pictures of a weapon.

The referendum was scheduled to be held at the Tamanawis Secondary School in Canada’s Surrey on September 10. (ANI)

Trudeau-Xi Jinping Heated Discussion At G20 Caught On Camera

By LokMarg 16th November 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a heated exchange of words during their conversation on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali on Wednesday with the Chinese leader complaining about the media reporting about their communication, according to a video of the meeting posted by a Canada-based journalist.

In the video, Xi is heard expressing his displeasure about talks between China and Canada being leaked to the Canadian Press. The two leaders had earlier met on Tuesday on the sidelines of the summit.
“The Cdn Pool cam captured a tough talk between Chinese President Xi & PM Trudeau at the G20 today. In it, Xi expressed his displeasure that everything discussed yesterday “has been leaked to the paper(s), that’s not appropriate… & that’s not the way the conversation was conducted,” Annie Bergeron-Oliver from the Canadian press CTV National News said in a tweet.

She posted the video along with her tweet.

Speaking through an interpreter, Xi said, “Everything we decided has been leaked to the papers that’s not appropriate… and that’s not the way the conversation was conducted if there is sincerity on your part…”

The Canadian Prime Minister is heard stating that there was free, open, and frank dialogue and that there will be things the two countries disagree on.

“We will continue to help…work constructively together but there will be many things we will disagree on,” Trudeau said.

The video ends with Xi Jinping saying “let’s create the conditions first”.

The two leaders shook hands after the brief conversation.

Trudeau had raised “serious concerns” over alleged Chinese interference in Canada in brief talks with Xi on the sidelines of this week’s Group of 20 (G20) meeting in Indonesia.

The Canadian Prime Minister’s office said in a readout on Tuesday that the two leaders discussed North Korea and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while Trudeau “also raised our serious concerns around interference activities in Canada”.

Last week, Canadian media outlet Global News reported that Canadian intelligence officials had warned Trudeau that China was “targeting Canada with a vast campaign of foreign interference, ” including meddling in the country’s 2019 elections.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on Monday arrested a man in the province of Quebec for espionage, accusing 35-year-old Yuesheng Wang of obtaining trade secrets to benefit the Chinese government.

The China-Canada relationship has been frosty for several years, especially after Canadian authorities detained Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou in 2018 on a United States arrest warrant. China then arrested two Canadians on spying charges.

While the standoff ended when all three people were released last year, relations have remained sour over several points of contention, including human rights and trade.

In their talks on Tuesday, Trudeau and Xi “discussed the importance of continued dialogue”, the readout from Trudeau’s office said.

The two leaders last met in June 2019 on the sidelines of another G20 in Osaka, Japan. They met three other times previously, once in 2015 on the sidelines of the G20 in Turkey, and twice during official visits in Beijing in 2016 and 2017. (ANI)