Brampton mayor echoes call for PM to label Bishnoi gang a terrorist group
Social Sharing
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown is joining a call for the federal government to declare the Lawrence Bishnoi gang a terrorist organization, saying the India-based gang has been linked to crime and violence in the Peel region.
Brown said Peel police suspect the notorious gang has been involved in cases of extortion and targeted shootings in the region.
"They terrorize communities, they terrorize individuals and, and you know, they're a predatory organization," Brown said in an interview with CBC Radio's Metro Morning host David Common Thursday.
"They're a transnational crime run out of a different country, it's a threat that we haven't had to deal with in a very long time."
Earlier this week, B.C. Premier David Eby called on the federal government to list the gang as a terrorist group over concerns that the group has been involved in extortions and other crimes against the South Asian community.
Eby said Tuesday that he would write to Prime Minister Mark Carney to ask that the gang be given the terrorist designation "to enable police to be able to use the necessary tools to investigate."
Brown said he believes the designation would help Peel police investigate similar crimes in the region.
Attempts to repair Canada-India relationship
The calls come the same week Canada and India agreed to reinstate their high commissioners and look at renewed visa services for each other's citizens and businesses.
Carney announced the move after a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G7 summit in Alberta.
The two countries expelled each other's high commissioners, senior diplomats who are similar to ambassadors, last fall after the RCMP accused the Indian government of playing a role in a network of violence in Canada, including homicides and extortions.
The RCMP also claimed that the Bishnoi gang was targeting members of the pro-Khalistan movement on Canadian soil, allegedly at the behest of the Indian government.
Labelling the Indian gang a terrorist group could complicate Carney's attempts to rebuild the Canada-India relationship, given those past allegations, said Sanjay Ruparelia, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair at Toronto Metropolitan University and an expert on Indian politics.
"It's complicated because the claim last year in October was that they were used as a proxy for these operations in Canada. That's the allegation," he said.
"Now … we've had what seems like the beginning of a reset, of a breakthrough."
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said Wednesday that he was aware of Eby's comments but hasn't received an official request.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
30 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Canada is not for sale – and neither are our skies
Ajay Virmani CM is the founder and executive chair of Cargojet. Thursday's recommendations from the Competition Bureau to open Canada's skies to foreign airlines may sound like a pro-consumer move. But beneath the surface, the move risks undermining our aviation industry, threatening Canadian jobs, and handing over control of a vital sector – all without getting a single thing in return. The bureau suggests allowing foreign carriers to fly domestic routes in Canada – a move known as 'cabotage' – and phasing out foreign ownership restrictions entirely. If adopted, these changes would fundamentally alter the aviation landscape in Canada. And not for the better. Watchdog says Ottawa should allow foreign-owned airlines to fly domestic routes to boost competition Let's start with the obvious: There is no reciprocal access. The foreign carriers most likely to cash in on this opportunity will be American ones, because of geography. But the United States, our closest trading partner, does not allow foreign carriers to operate domestic routes. It guards that privilege closely – as does many other major nations. Why, then, should Canada unilaterally open our skies? Competition is healthy – but only when it's fair. We cannot be the only country willing to give away our market while others protect theirs. That's not strategy – that's surrender. Canada is a country of extremes. We are the second-largest nation by landmass, but with a population spread thinly across vast geography. Air travel isn't just a convenience – it's a necessity. But let's be blunt: Canada is not big enough to support even three major airlines as the past two decades have shown. More than 15 carriers – from Jetsgo to Lynx – have gone out of business trying. Foreign airlines, with deep pockets and no long-term obligation to our infrastructure, will swoop in to cherry-pick profitable urban routes – Toronto to Vancouver, Montreal to Calgary – and leave Canadian carriers to subsidize unprofitable regional and remote routes. When the local players fold, who will serve the North? Who will fly to the small towns? Prices will go up, and service will disappear. The impact won't just be felt in boardrooms – it will hit everyday Canadians across the aviation workforce. We're talking about pilots, engineers, mechanics, technology professionals, baggage handlers, call centre teams and support staff. Foreign carriers have no incentive to hire in Canada beyond what's absolutely necessary. Opening the door to foreign dominance means exporting opportunity, experience and expertise – and leaving a skilled Canadian workforce behind. In today's geopolitical climate, the last thing we should do is hand over our aviation sector to foreign ownership. Aviation isn't just another business – it's a strategic asset. In emergencies, natural disasters and national defence, a strong domestic aviation backbone matters. Foreign ownership comes with no such loyalty. If the government truly wants to improve Canadian aviation, it should start with what's in its control: modernize our airports, lower sky-high airport rents and fees, invest in regional infrastructure and overhaul NAV Canada, which operates our civil air navigation system. These structural issues are what make flying in Canada expensive – not a lack of foreign players. Opinion: Stop the charade. Ottawa isn't prepared to do what it takes to improve airline competition Opening the door to foreign carriers without fixing the broken foundation is like inviting guests into a crumbling house and hoping they'll renovate it for you. The promise of cheaper fares is always tempting. But the reality is, foreign carriers will skim the cream off the top – and leave Canadian operators to handle the rest. Once Canadian carriers are weakened or gone, what leverage will we have left? The decisions will be made in boardrooms far away, with no regard for Canadian jobs, service standards, or national resilience. We need smart competition, not blind deregulation. We need policy that supports homegrown carriers and gives them the tools to grow and compete globally. And we need to recognize that our aviation sector isn't just about profits – it's about sovereignty, accessibility and nation-building. Canada is not for sale – and neither are our skies. Let's not let short-term thinking cost us our long-term future.
CTV News
36 minutes ago
- CTV News
Police seize drugs and cash, two Sault suspects charged
A drug investigation that began earlier this month in Sault Ste. Marie led police to seize $23,895 in cash, as well as illegal drugs with an estimated street value of $13,728. City police, working with Ontario Provincial Police, arrested two suspects, ages 30 and 32, on June 18. Loaded handgun seized during arrest of suspected drug dealer Items recovered include a loaded revolver with ammunition. June 18, 2025 (Sault Ste. Marie Police Service) Police were already investigating the 30-year-old for drug trafficking when they saw him get into a vehicle with the other suspect. The pair was arrested following a traffic stop and police searched the vehicle. Items recovered include a loaded revolver with ammunition, and drugs suspected to be 114.12 grams of cocaine, 14.91 grams of fentanyl, four oxycodone pills, cash, scales, drug packaging materials, a cutting agent and multiple cellphones. Both were charged with several weapons and drug trafficking offences. The 32-year-old was also charged with failing to comply with an undertaking and the 30-year-old was charged with two counts of violating probation. Both accused were held in custody pending bail hearings, police said.
National Post
36 minutes ago
- National Post
Justice minister says he doesn't like 'soft on crime' slogans, but won't 'diminish' those concerns
OTTAWA — Justice Minister Sean Fraser says that while he does not believe in using labels like 'soft on crime,' which critics employ to describe the justice system, he says it is important not to dismiss the concerns of those who use them. Article content 'I don't necessarily agree with the sloganeering approach, but that doesn't mean someone who may agree with it doesn't have a point that deserves the government's attention,' he told National Post in a recent wide-ranging interview on Wednesday. Article content Article content Fraser enters the justice and attorney general portfolio at a time when premiers and police chiefs are pressing the federal government to further restrict access to bail, particularly in Ontario, as a strategy to stem the rising tide of auto thefts and home invasions, which police across the Greater Toronto Area and other regions of the country have reported. Article content Article content Making bail more difficult for those accused of these crimes, particularly when violence is used and when they are connected to organized crime, was a promise made by Prime Minister Mark Carney in late April's federal election, which saw the Liberals elected to a fourth term. Article content The Liberals also campaigned on a pledge to make bail harder for those charged with certain human trafficking and drug smuggling offences, as well as bringing in tougher sentencing guidelines for courts to follow for repeat offenders convicted of a home invasion or auto theft. Article content Crime was a major focus of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's campaign, with candidates handing out leaflets emblazoned with the percentages of how much car theft has increased in and around Toronto, where they flipped several seats from the Liberals. Article content Article content Conservatives have continued to draw attention to crime rates by laying them squarely at the feet of what they describe as 'soft on crime' and 'catch-and-release' Liberal justice policies. Article content Fraser says the discussion around tightening bail is rooted in legal analysis and not 'exclusively on the increased scrutiny that you may see from the public or from another political party.' It is also a multi-jurisdictional matter, he points out, and touches on issues like training for judges and justices of the peace, as well as the shortage of Crown prosecutors, which the Liberals have pledged to tackle. Article content 'When we hear the scrutiny that may come from the public on an issue that's an early warning system that you should be looking into, has there been a change? What is underlying that change?'
