My Take | Killing in Canada is not the diplomatic bombshell many think it is
- The sad truth is that political assassination is increasingly tolerated as a method of foreign policy not only for ‘rogue’ states, but also some powerful democracies as well
Now we know what really happened between Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Indian host Narendra Modi at the Group of 20 summit in New Delhi.
The Indian prime minister met several key leaders for bilateral talks but not with his Canadian counterpart. Instead, they met on the sidelines. Afterwards, the Modi government issued a highly undiplomatic statement scolding Ottawa for allowing Sikh activists in Canada to advocate independence for the northwestern state of Punjab where there is a Sikh-majority population.
Days later, all hell broke loose when Trudeau appeared in the Canadian parliament and claimed there was strong evidence implicating the Indian government in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June. The 45-year-old target was listed by India as a terrorist. He was gunned down outside a Sikh temple where he was president, on the outskirts of Vancouver.
Poor Vancouver, all the bad but big international news in recent years seems to happen in or near the city, including the detention of Huawei’s No 2 which triggered the worst diplomatic and trade crisis between China and Canada. That incident pretty much ended any hope of Trudeau’s Liberal government expanding trade with China. The latest diplomatic spat with New Delhi will likewise end any immediate prospect of Canada increasing trade and business with India as a replacement for lost Chinese opportunities. Modi probably knew what was coming. Most likely in their G20 meeting, he told Trudeau to back off, not exactly the response the Canadian leader was hoping for.
The Modi government, of course, has denied the allegations, dismissing them as “absurd”. The assassination was clearly a surgical professional hit, the site of the killing highly symbolic. Ever since, the Canadian media and South Asia specialists have been speculating who would have the capability and motive to carry it out. Let’s just say the list of possible suspects was extremely short. It’s highly doubtful Trudeau would dare make such a public and sensational accusation unless he had very solid evidence. Nijjar was officially designated a terrorist by India.
Just before he left for the G20 summit, the Canadian leader was saying how much he looked forward to a closer trade, business and diplomatic partnership with democratic India. The timing was most ironic for Canada. The anti-China opposition has successfully forced the Trudeau government to launch an official inquiry into “foreign interference”, read Chinese, in Canadian domestic politics, but especially during elections.
Nothing China has been accused of quite approaches the severity of what India is being implicated in. Perhaps Canadian politicians are looking in the wrong direction; you know, keep your enemies close, but your friends closer.