Did not want to blow up India ties: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testifies at the Foreign Interference Commission in Ottawa on October 16, 2024. Photo: The Canadian Press via AP

Conversations with India around the G-20 Summit in 2023 in New Delhi about the killing of Khalistani activistHardeep Singh Nijjar were based on intelligence and not proof, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a federal commission that is examining foreign interference in the country.

Mr. Trudeau on Wednesday (October 16, 2024) repeated the allegation that India was involved in the killing. He said the decision to go public on such a sensitive issue was taken to assure Canadians that the government was serious about their security. “We wanted the public to know that we were taking action…” said Mr. Trudeau.

The Canadian Prime Minister said it was a “massive mistake if India had done it”, adding that his government had “reasons to believe that India did it”. There was no discussion on evidence in the hearing as the proceeding moved on to other topics.

Mr. Trudeau said Canada did not want to end up in the current state of tension with India. “My position and Canada’s position is to defend the territorial integrity of India. ‘One India’ is our policy. There are a number of people in Canada who argue otherwise, but that does not make it our policy. It is also not something that is illegal in Canada,” he said. He said India’s response when the concerns were taken up with it was “to attack Canada, undermine our government and the integrity of our democracy”.

The Canadian PM said the intelligence gathering on Nijjar killing was prompted by requests from South Asian Members of Parliament from his country.

Upon gathering intelligence about India’s alleged involvement, “our immediate response was to communicate with Indian security agencies… Our attempt was to ensure that India-Canada relations were not blown up. At the G-20 summit… we did not want to make it uncomfortable for India,” Mr. Trudeau said, adding that he directly talked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue.

Mr. Trudeau said it was not surprising that India refused to waive diplomatic immunity for its officials who face Canadian allegations, suggesting that even Canada would refuse such requests.