Canada and Bharat have been in the news for a while since the snubbing that Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau received at the G20 summit in the country. This was followed by an extended stay owing to the technical failure of his aircraft and his refusal to utilise the Indian aircraft offered by GoI to leave for Canada.
On Monday, 18th September 2023, Trudeau laid a serious allegation on Bharat on the floor of the Canadian Parliament that there was possibly an Indian hand in the killing of Khalistani terrorist and head of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In a statement, Trudeau said, “Over the past number of weeks, Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.” Ironically, Canada gives more importance to a person’s nationality than his crime.
It must be noted that Canada has not been able to garner support from its main allies – the US, UK, Australia, or New Zealand, all members of the ”Five Eyes” alliance concerning this issue – none of them echoed Trudeau’s allegation.
Show of support to Canada from Pakistan
Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, Syrus Qazi, voiced support for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent accusations around India’s possible role in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. This does not come as a surprise given the Canadian government’s muted response when Baloch activist Karima Baloch was killed.
Canadian Hypocrisy
Baloch activist Karima Baloch, living in exile in Toronto, disappeared on 20th December 2020 and was found dead the next day near Lake Ontario, Toronto’s downtown waterfront, under suspicious circumstances.
In contrast to Justin Trudeau addressing Nijjar’s death in the Canadian Parliament, Karima Baloch’s death was downplayed. Despite mounting concerns of possible wrongdoing, Canadian authorities were quick to dismiss Baloch’s death as “non-criminal.” Toronto’s police department issued a brief statement stating they had investigated the circumstances and found no evidence of foul play. Thereupon, Canadian officials have not offered any additional information regarding the specifics surrounding Baloch’s murder. Karima Baloch was given asylum by Canada in 2016. It is indeed interesting to see how the country acts with prejudice towards its own citizens.
Pakistan’s attitude towards dissenters
Pakistan, a state that sponsors terrorism, is known for its attitude against dissenters. Be it in the case of blasphemy or the subject of Balochistan’s liberation; they leave no stone unturned to hunt down these people. In a 2017 interview from Dubai, former Pakistani dictator Gen. Pervez Musharraf even justified the assassination of government critics living abroad, calling it ‘pro-active diplomacy.’
Whether Bharat has a hand in the killing of the terrorists is not the primary question; it is the need to expose the hypocrisy of the “powers” of the West, like Canada, run by Justin Trudeau, that is of primal importance. Trudeau seems to be following the path of politicians in Bharat – bending backward for minority appeasement.
I’ve never read such a detailed and yet balanced remark talking only based on facts. Sad that you had to migrate from your city due to such reasons but I must say that BC is at a bigger loss to lose a person of value like yourself. We all know where is it coming from. Speaking my heart and mind out, as an Indian, I would have been much more happier if that clown’s allegations were true (sorry for being harsh and low). The respect that I’ve for my ppl who took diksha (known as Sikhs in Indian history) and stood against mugal atrocities will never be diluted by menials like Nijjar, Pannu etc.. I asked my Canadian colleague about this episode and the reaction was like “I wish he spent more time on the real issues than playing tricks to save his minority govt”. Lastly, one can’t keep snakes in one’s backyard and expect to bite the neighbors only. Stay blessed.
As a Canadian living abroad watching India ‘ unsubscribe’ is just surreal. For the sake of balance, Have the killers been identified,tried,sentenced? It’s weird to use Napoleonic principles ,guilt before proving innocence. Extra judicial killings are a horrible menace, threat, and ongoing , historical global problem everywhere,threatening asylum and protection,however a guilty verdict is usually sought by jury and due process first in civilised countries. What I can say as a person who lived amoung Indian Sikh expats in Canada is an over all very hard working, generous, strong ,warm,lovely, huge culture producing community that we are lucky to have as immigrants as with all Indians. The problem is , when I was living in Surrey, a few years back, a lot of issue with gangs where this man was killed. Just Google ‘ gangs in Surrey BC’ , or gang history, Greater Vancouver,BC. That must also be fully ruled out. That is what is so odd that the jump to declaring guilt of ‘Indian secret agents’ **before** trial.If it was proven after trial of the killers these were 100% foreign agents, then blowback on sovereignty violation would be dead obvious for any nation.
I’ve been long gone from BC Canada now so I may be wrong on the scene there now, but a couple of decades ago it was gang land Central importing heroin , arms into the area. It was why I left BC,Canada. It was brutally dangerous at times, and organised crime there in BC runs the shadow economy and has a way greater GDP than legit businesses. I do know gangs ‘used’ to have big sway over Provincial politicians in order to launder money into real estate which has caused large scale,horrible displacement of middle class and working class younger people who grew up there,with student loans,who can’t afford to have kids, or even own a toilet stall in a house on a working or middle class income unless back by huge communal wealth of family, direct inheritance money or illicit cash. It’s truly a crime economy. It rules. It’s the dominant force. So the power there cartels have over political affairs is resolute.
Anyhow it’s a tragic state of affairs, whether Trudeau was correct or incorrect I think it should have gone to trial first? I don’t disrespect Trudeau as much as I’m flabbergasted at no trial of killers? We cannot forget Air India as Canadians , and where the perpetrator came from, much like Sikhs can’t forget the tragedy at the Golden Temple and the mess of assassinations around Air India tragedy trial. But a perpetrator must be named,and proven definitely connected to or as a foreign agent. Because you need to tease the large presence of possible underlying cartel gangland issues from the political side of identity politics in Canada.
The fact a float was allowed at a parade mocking an assassination as a direct provocation and insult was really below the belt on cultivating Canadian so called peaceful multiculturalism. Anything like this against another religion gets a swift collective response. Hate speech laws aren’t ever enforced as well. Rarely, it’s awful. Tried myself to get grotesque graphic violent anti semitic hate speech removed from a public forum to zero avail and a blasé attitude from authorities. Free speech is **not hate speech**. Canada hasn’t figured that one out yet. The fact Canada virtue signals so damn hard on the world stage is nauseating when that country of my birth is a disaster of really beyond horrifying domestic human rights breaches, genocide by neglect, omission of vital government services to vulnerable and indigenous populations leaving them dying, homeless, addicted, without water access, organised crime run riot, with extreme levels of deprivation and poverty in a massively underpopulated, underdeveloped yet obscenely crazy rich,ultra arrogant superficial high tax yet poor service nation. It’s embarrassing. I’m sad that egos can’t be dropped for hard evidence made public with names and resolute details and proof before a terrible,unneeded diplomatic melee. All nations have a right to defend their sovereignty loudly from extrajudicial assassins to protect asylum seekers and citizens! It’s a huge incredulous violation,**all** nations can agree, but I still haven’t seen the names, photos, etc of the gunmen who shot this Sikh activist plastered all over the news and their back stories to justify such a blatant row? I’m fine with being made wrong here, with respect. It’s just so crazy it’s hard to wrap my head around where the world is at right now.
I’m sorry as a Canadian living abroad it’s come down to this and yet again, innocent people in the millions are caught in this sadness.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/20/world/canada/hardeep-singh-nijjar-killed.html
“masked gunmen killed Hardeep Singh Nijjar”
2 days ago —“ No arrests have been made” in the brazen June 18 killing of Nijjar, the 45-year-old president of the temple. But from the outset, his family and …
I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry and embarrassed that this was done before anyone was charged,evidence given to the public, and perpetrators sentenced in the killing. This horrific diplomatic row affects millions of innocents too who want to trade, travel, see family and have this ruined in speculation before charges and a trial.
As for average Indians travelling to Canada, you’ll be fine. You will be welcome and safe. Stay away from obvious demonstrations. Majority of Canadians, like me if I still lived there, will welcome you graciously. Peace ☮️