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India's Modi to attend G7 leaders' summit in Canada this month

India's Modi to attend G7 leaders' summit in Canada this month

Global News11 hours ago

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he will be attending the upcoming G7 leaders' summit in Kananaskis, Alta., later this month, thanking Prime Minister Mark Carney for his invitation.
Modi has attended four G7 summits in person since 2019 and a fifth virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.
'Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada,' Modi said in a post on X.
'Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month.'
The Prime Minister's Office confirmed an invitation had been extended in a readout regarding a phone call between the two leaders, stating the pair agreed to stay in contact and looked forward to meeting at the summit.
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The readout said the two also discussed the relationship between Canada and India and agreed to 'continued law enforcement dialogue and discussions addressing security concerns.'
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But Modi's attendance comes as relations between the two countries remain tense, amid mounting foreign interference concerns and continued investigations of the 2023 killing of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia, which former prime minister Justin Trudeau publicly said was done by 'agents of the Indian government.'
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In October 2024, MPs on a parliamentary committee called for an emergency meeting on allegations of Indian foreign interference in Canada after six Indian diplomats and consular officials were expelled.
That expulsion was 'in relation to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the government of India.'
The tensions had members of the Indian diaspora in Canada on edge, with families and students expressing concerns about travel if the conflict were to escalate to visa suspensions.
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India has long denied any involvement in Nijjar's killing and accused Trudeau of pursuing a 'political agenda.'
— with files from Global News and The Canadian Press

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Carney defends inviting Modi to G7 as probe of Nijjar's killing continues
Carney defends inviting Modi to G7 as probe of Nijjar's killing continues

Toronto Star

time2 hours ago

  • Toronto Star

Carney defends inviting Modi to G7 as probe of Nijjar's killing continues

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Mark Carney is defending his decision to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 summit later this month — despite the fact that security officials have linked Modi's government to the murder of a Canadian man two years ago. Carney extended the invitation to Modi during a phone call Friday morning and Modi accepted. The summit runs from June 15 to 17 in Kananaskis, Alta. During a Friday afternoon press conference on Parliament Hill, Carney said that the G7 summit will focus on forging partnerships with emerging and developing nations. He said it makes sense to have India at the table because it's one of the world's largest economies and plays a key role in global supply chains. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'Bilaterally, we have now agreed importantly to continued law enforcement dialogue. So there's been some progress on that. That recognizes issues of accountability,' Carney said. 'I extended the invitation to Prime Minister Modi in that context and he has accepted.' 'As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the summit,' Modi said in a social media statement. Modi's comment did not mention the 'law enforcement dialogue' cited by Carney. India's ministry of external affairs issued a statement Friday with similar wording to Modi's comment. Both congratulated Carney on his recent electoral victory. The invitation prompted an angry reaction from the World Sikh Organization of Canada, which wrote to Carney in May asking him not to invite Modi. Tensions have been high between Canada and India since then-prime minister Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons in September 2023 that 'agents of the Indian government' had been linked to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian activist for Sikh separatism shot to death outside a gurdwara in Surrey, B.C., in June 2023. Balpreet Singh, legal counsel and spokesman for the World Sikh Organization of Canada, said Carney's invitation to Modi is a 'betrayal of Canadian values.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'The summit to which Mr. Modi is being invited falls on the anniversary of the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar two years ago,' he said. 'So for us, this is unacceptable, it's shocking and it's a complete reversal of the principled stand that Prime Minister Trudeau had taken.' At the time of his death, Nijjar was organizing a non-binding referendum in Canada on establishing a Sikh state in Punjab, to be called Khalistan. The Indian government rejected Trudeau's accusation and said Canada was supporting 'Khalistani terrorists.' In May 2024, four Indian nationals were arrested and charged in connection with Nijjar's death. In October 2024, the RCMP said it had evidence linking agents of India's government to homicides and other criminal acts in Canada, including coercion and extortion. Soon after, the federal government announced it had expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officials in relation to what it called 'a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW In a media statement, Global Affairs Canada said it had asked India to waive diplomatic and consular immunities 'and to co-operate in the investigation,' but India declined. India responded in kind by expelling six diplomats, including Canada's high commissioner. On Oct. 17, 2024, the U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges against an Indian government employee in connection with an alleged foiled murder-for-hire plot targeting a Sikh separatist leader in New York City. Asked about his decision to invite Modi as unanswered questions remain about Nijjar's death, Carney said that it's never appropriate for a leader to talk about a legal process while it is ongoing. Singh said that the World Sikh Organization wrote Carney a letter on May 21 asking that Modi not be invited to the G7. While India is not a G7 member, the country has been invited to the summit by the host nation every year since 2019. 'We didn't want to make this into a public issue but there was no response. There was no acknowledgment of receipt. But this is, it really boggles the mind,' Singh said. 'How can a country that has engaged in criminal operations in Canada, which is engaged in multiple murders, extortions, receive a red-carpet welcome?' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW When asked what his message is for people who are worried about Modi's invitation, Carney said the 'rule of law is proceeding as it should in Canada, and I am not going to disrupt that process.' Naresh Raghubeer, a Canada-India relations expert, said that it's important for Carney to attempt to reset the relationship with the Modi government. 'Let policing matters be dealt with at the policing level, and bilateral relationships that transcend those other matters should be dealt with bilaterally. They're more important considerations,' Raghubeer said. 'I think at the end of the day, a relationship with the world's fourth largest economy, the world's most populous nation, a democratic ally that shares our values, is quite important.' Last week, former prime minister Stephen Harper urged Canada to forge a new path with India during a speech at an event in Brampton, Ont. During a press conference, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said 'we need to work with India and other countries on trade and security.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'So we as Conservatives understand that the invitation is necessary and that we want to see the government work on addressing security issues at the same time as they have when the prime minister has those conversations with the Prime Minster Modi,' Poilievre added. During the final days of the federal election campaign, former NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said that in December 2023 he was put under heavy police protection due to a credible threat to his life. He said the RCMP did not identify a specific source for the threat but the implication was that it originated with a foreign government. NDP national security critic Jenny Kwan and foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson condemned the invitation in a joint statement and said they stand with the Sikh community. 'Canadians expect the government to stand in solidarity with Canadians who have expressed their concerns about the (Bharatiya Janata Party) government's record and human rights violations in India,' said McPherson. 'Some of these Canadians live in fear of threat of reprisal against themselves and their families. Canada must stand on the side of human rights, justice, and accountability not diplomatic expediency.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Kwan said that the government 'must explain how justice and human rights are being upheld through this invitation.' Balpreet Singh said the World Sikh Organization doesn't plan on sending further correspondence to the prime minister about Modi's invitation. 'What's the point? I mean, we sent something out on May 21 and received no response,' he said. 'And clearly, our voices don't matter to him.' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum are among the other non-member world leaders invited to the summit. As of May 28, Sheinbaum had not said whether she would attend. — With files from The Associated Press This report was first published by The Canadian Press on June 6, 2025. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. 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Carney agrees to ‘regularize' communication between Canada and China
Carney agrees to ‘regularize' communication between Canada and China

CTV News

time2 hours ago

  • CTV News

Carney agrees to ‘regularize' communication between Canada and China

Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives to a caucus meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick In a notable move amid recent diplomatic and trade tensions, Prime Minister Mark Carney has agreed to 'regularize channels of communication between Canada and China' after having a conversation with a top Chinese official on Thursday. According to a readout from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) released late Thursday, Carney and Chinese Premier Li Qiang also agreed to work together to address the fentanyl crisis and discussed trade between the two countries. 'Prime Minister Carney took the opportunity to raise trade irritants affecting agriculture and agri-food products, including canola and seafood, as well as other issues, with Premier Li,' the readout says. 'They welcomed their trade ministers' meeting this week, during which Canada and China agreed to convene the Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETC) at an early date to address outstanding trade issues,' the statement goes on to say. The PMO has confirmed to CTV News this was Carney's first conversation with Chinese leadership since becoming prime minister. Carney's outreach to China comes as he seeks to strengthen economic ties with other large economies like China and India in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's global trade war. Asked directly while speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill on Friday on whether he trusts China, Carney did not give an explicit answer. 'This is the start of a process of recalibrating the relationship with China. It's very important that we reopen dialog with Chinese authorities for several reasons,' Carney said, while highlighting China as Canada's 'second largest trading partner.' Previously, during the federal election earlier this year, Carney called China one of the largest threats when it comes to foreign interference in Canada and emerging threats in the Arctic. 'China willing to work with Canada:' Li In an interview with CTV Question Period back in May, China's Ambassador to Canada Wang Di expressed China's desire to meet with the Carney government 'as soon as possible' to discuss the latest trade issues between the two countries. Premier Li released a statement on Friday, saying he spoke with Carney at the prime minister's request. 'China is willing to work with Canada, in the spirit of looking to the future, to promote the steady improvement of bilateral relations, bring them onto a track of sound and steady development, and strive for win-win cooperation,' Li said. Last October – under the government of former prime minister Justin Trudeau – Canada followed the U.S. lead and imposed a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), accusing Beijing of 'distorting global trade' by exporting EVs at 'unfairly low prices.' Canada also hit China with a 25 per cent tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum. Following its own so-called anti-discrimination investigation, China retaliated by imposing a 100 per cent tariff on Canadian canola oil and canola meal, along with several other tariffs on Canadian agricultural products. In 2024, Canada's total canola exports to China were valued at almost $5 billion. China is also Canada's second-largest seafood market. Premiers have been putting pressure on Carney to improve trade relations with China and get those tariffs lifted. At the First Ministers' Meeting in Saskatoon on Monday, Carney said the federal government planned to work urgently to remove Chinese tariffs on impacted Canadian agriculture and seafood products. 'The Canadian government is engaging with its Chinese counterparts at the ministerial level and we'll continue those discussions,' Carney told reporters on Monday. The relationship between Canada and China still has not recovered since 2018 after Canada arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on behalf of the United States over bank fraud charges. Days later, China separately detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor over allegations of espionage – accusations they denied. Both men were eventually released after spending more than 1,000 days in a Chinese prison, not long after Meng herself was released from house arrest. China's ambassador to Canada – who assumed his role in June 2024 – acknowledged those past tensions when speaking to CTV Question Period last month but insisted China is 'ready to move on and look ahead.' 'We are ready to work together with Canada to bring our relationship back onto the right track,' Wang said.

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