Latest news with #SukhDhaliwal
CTV News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Liberal MP criticizes Modi's G7 invitation in meeting with Prime Minister Carney
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives to receive visiting Angolan President João Lourenco at the Indian presidential palace in New Delhi, India on Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) OTTAWA -- B.C. Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal said he met with Prime Minister Mark Carney Wednesday morning to push back against the decision to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 summit in Alberta next week. In an interview with The Canadian Press before that meeting took place, Dhaliwal said he spoke with hundreds of people who don't want Modi to attend the upcoming leaders summit -- some of them members of the Liberal caucus. 'We as Canadians take pride to be a champion on human rights. We are the country of law and justice,' Dhaliwal said Tuesday. 'When it comes to protecting fundamental rights and serving justice for the victim, it is non-negotiable.' In 2023 and 2024, former prime minister Justin Trudeau and the RCMP said there was evidence linking agents of the Indian government to the murder of Canadian Sikh separatism activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C., in June 2023. Last October, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme said the police force had evidence linking Indian government officials to other crimes in Canada, including extortion, coercion and homicide. Justice Marie-Josee Hogue, who led the public inquiry into foreign political interference last year, reported that China and India are among the primary actors behind foreign inference operations targeting Canada. Carney issued an invitation to Modi in a phone call on June 6. Dhaliwal said Wednesday that he met with Carney Wednesday before the weekly Liberal caucus meeting and shared concerns about that invitation that were raised by constituents. 'Now that (Modi's) invited, we have to move forward,' Dhaliwal said. '(Carney) is alarmed about the issue and he will be very strong in dealing with those issues that are important to Canadians.' Gurbux Saini, another B.C. Liberal MP, said the decision to invite Modi to the G7 and the invitation extended to Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are undermining Canada's reputation as a champion of human rights. 'It is a damaging thing because we have been known in the world as caring and compassionate people who love human rights, and this is something the prime minister is aware of and it has been brought to his attention,' Saini said Wednesday. Canada has invited Saudi Arabia's de facto leader to the G7 summit, according to two Canadian government officials who were not authorized to speak publicly about Canada's invitation list. As of mid-afternoon Wednesday, Riyadh had not indicated whether it had accepted the invitation. Carney did not respond to reporters' questions on his way into the caucus meeting Wednesday. International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu said some of his constituents have raised concerns with him about 'invitations to leaders.' 'But I think it's important to note that at this time, at a time of crisis, we need to be able to collaborate and of course work out some issues,' Sidhu said before entering the caucus room. The crisis Sidhu referred to is the tariff war with the U.S. Dhaliwal, who represents the riding where Nijjar was killed, said Tuesday the invitation betrays Canadian values. 'Before we invited him, Prime Minister Modi should have committed that he and his team or his associates or his departments will fully co-operate with the Canadian authorities,' Dhaliwal said Tuesday. Carney said he wants to keep policing matters separate from Canada's responsibilities as G7 chair and has argued that India, one of the world's largest economies, belongs at the table. Carney has said India agreed to continue 'law enforcement dialogue.' Modi's comment on his Friday call with Carney did not mention policing. The NDP condemned the decision to invite Modi. At a press conference on Parliament Hill Wednesday morning, Alberta NDP MP Heather McPherson accused the Carney government of putting 'profits over people.' 'That's appalling. For me, what it indicated, this government has consistently and very clearly chosen profits and the economy over human rights,' McPherson said. 'I think all Canadians expect their government to provide good, family-sustaining jobs, but not at the expense of human rights.' At a Tuesday webinar organized by the Asia Pacific Foundation, a federal think tank, experts argued Canada can use the G7 summit to build a functional relationship with India on trade, clean energy and dealing with China. C. Raja Mohan of the Council for Strategic and Defense Research in New Delhi argued that South Asia's political concerns are going to continue to resonate across the English-speaking world, in part due to high emigration to places like Canada, the U.S. and Britain. He said that creates 'a structural problem' where foreign interference and extremist elements among Sikh activists can create tensions for both India and other countries. 'This is going to get worse. After all, politics is not going to cease, either in the West or in India,' he said. Mohan argued Ottawa and New Delhi must find ways to address these issues through sustained, long-term law enforcement co-operation, rather than 'public posturing.' 'How do you prevent Indian politics from poisoning Canadian politics, or prevent political mobilization within the ... Anglo-American world from ... generating problems for India?' he asked. 'This is something we have to manage over the longer term, and there are not going to be these high-minded, declaratory solutions to this.' Michael Kugelman, a senior fellow with the Asia Pacific Foundation, said he suspects India will be observing how Ottawa responds to any protests against Modi in Canada. 'New Delhi will be watching this very closely,' he said. Kugelman said the G7 visit could be a way to build trust between Canada and India, and might lead to more a substantive reset of relations before the November G20 summit in South Africa. By David Baxter and Dylan Robertson With files from Nick Murray This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025.
National Post
11-06-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Liberal MPs voice concerns to Carney over G7 invite to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi
OTTAWA — A Liberal MP says he met with Prime Minister Mark Carney to raise concerns about the decision to invite India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada to attend the upcoming G7 summit. Article content Sukh Dhaliwal represents the Surrey, B.C. riding, where prominent Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot outside of a temple in June 2023, a killing that Canada has linked to agents acting on behalf of the Indian government. Article content Article content Article content India has denied any involvement in Nijjar's death. Four Indian nationals have been charged in the killing. Article content Gurbux Saini, the Liberal MP for the riding of Fleetwood—Port Kells, said he also raised the issue with the prime minister and said he disagrees with the decision to invite Modi. Article content 'It's not a Hindu-Sikh issue,' Saini told reporters. 'It's a Canadian issue.' Article content Saini cited statements made by the RCMP that it has evidence showing India's government to be involved in violent crime unfolding in Canada, from murders to intimidation by criminal gangs towards the South Asian community. Article content Article content 'India has to be accountable,' Saini said. Article content 'They have to give assurance that they are going to cooperate with our agencies.' Article content He suggested that not only was the invitation to Modi damaging to Canada's reputation, but that he was also concerned about a report that Canada had extended an invitation to the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. Human rights groups like Amnesty International about what they say has been the erosion of human rights under his leadership. Article content 'It is a damaging thing, because Canadians are known in the world as caring and compassionate and people who love human rights.' Article content Carney's office confirmed he and the crown prince recently spoke on 'deepening bilateral trade' and discussed other issues, including energy security and the need for peace in the Middle East. Article content Last week, Carney defended his decision to invite Modi to next week's G7 meeting by saying that he did so as chair of the leaders' group and that it was important for India to be at the table for discussions on trade and security, given it plays a central role in supply chains as well as boasts the world's fifth-largest economy and largest population.
CBC
11-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Carney facing some caucus pushback over Modi's invitation to G7 summit
Prime Minister Mark Carney is facing some pushback from his caucus over Canada's decision to invite the Indian prime minister to the G7 meeting in Alberta next week, with one Sikh MP saying it's a "bad idea." B.C. MP Sukh Dhaliwal told reporters he met with Carney early Wednesday to express what he says are constituents' frustrations with the decision to include Narendra Modi. Canadian police have alleged Indian agents were involved in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Canadian Khalistani separatist who was gunned down in B.C. in 2023. Nijjar and others in that movement have been calling for an independent Sikh homeland in northern India called Khalistan, which Modi's government has vigorously opposed and denounced as a national security threat. "The RCMP has clearly stated there's credible evidence Indian agents were involved in the assassination of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil," Dhaliwal said of Nijjar. "It's a bad idea" to include Modi in this high-profile get-together, he said. WATCH | Modi coming is a 'bad idea,' Dhaliwal says: Liberal MP says Modi coming to Canada is 'a bad idea' 13 minutes ago Duration 1:58 Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, B.C. Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal said he met with Prime Minister Mark Carney Wednesday morning to express concerns he says his constituents have with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi being invited to the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta. Dhaliwal said Carney is "alarmed" by the Nijjar case and taking seriously what would be an egregious violation of Canadian sovereignty. Canada expelled some Indian diplomats after the allegations were made public. A police investigation into alleged Indian involvement is ongoing but the government has already said there are "linkages" between the four Indian nationals arrested and charged with Nijjar's murder and the Indian government. Dhaliwal said Carney is "very strong" on the issue and will represent Sikh concerns about Indian interference and transnational crime when speaking to Modi. "I'm saying it's not a good idea, but now he's invited. We have to move forward," he said. 'Our government needs to take a firm stand' Another Liberal B.C. MP, Gurbux Saini, said his voters are "concerned." "What is happening is wrong and our government needs to take a firm stand," he said of India's alleged actions. Beyond the Nijjar killing, the Foreign Interference Commission's final report also identified India as a top meddler in Canadian affairs. The commission reviewed intelligence suggesting Indian-aligned proxies may have clandestinely provided financial support to various Canadian politicians to try and get more pro-Indian candidates elected. The report also found that India has used "disinformation" to further its goals in Canada. Liberal MP Karina Gould, a past cabinet minister and leadership contender, said human rights should be on the agenda when Carney meets with Modi and if another controversial G7 invitee, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also decides to attend. Bin Salman has been tied to the killing of Saudi dissident and journalist Jamal Khashoggi. "I understand why they were invited. Part of diplomacy is having these conversations — you don't shut the door to them," Gould said. "But we're also standing up for values that are important to Canadians." The push to diversify the economy is why other Liberal MPs were deferential to Carney and his decision to include Modi. Canada is facing an economic "crisis" with U.S. relations at a low point, International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu said, and Canada needs to "collaborate" and "work out some of the issues" with India. "I think the G7 is an important avenue for the prime minister to discuss some economic collaboration," Sidhu said. MP Yasir Naqvi, the parliamentary secretary to Sidhu, said "there's no excuse for the very serious allegations around extrajudicial killings," but the Carney and Modi face-to-face is a chance for Canada to demand India's co-operation with the ongoing Canadian police investigation and to "engage" on the larger issue. "This only happens if there's a relationship between our governments," Naqvi said. WATCH | Conservative leader on Modi's invitation: Poilievre says Modi's G7 invitation was 'necessary' 5 days ago Duration 0:55 'We need to work with India,' Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, said when asked if it's appropriate for the Indian prime minister to come to Canada, as his government's role in a B.C. killing is investigated. And, as Carney looks to lessen Canada's dependence on the U.S., there are "opportunities" for Canadian businesses in India, Naqvi said. "Canada is trying to open the door on relationships and say, 'We need to diversify our trade vastly,'" added MP Rob Oliphant, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs. "The message to the world is Canada is a vibrant trading partner."
CTV News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Liberal MP to meet with Carney to discuss Modi's ‘un-Canadian' invitation to G7
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives to receive visiting Angolan President João Lourenco at the Indian presidential palace in New Delhi, India on Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) OTTAWA — B.C. Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal says he has a meeting scheduled with Prime Minister Mark Carney this week to talk about his controversial decision to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 in Alberta next week. Dhaliwal says he's spoken with hundreds of people who disagree with Carney's decision to invite Modi to the upcoming leaders summit — some of them members of the Liberal caucus. Former prime minister Justin Trudeau and the RCMP have linked agents of the Indian government to the murder of Canadian Sikh separatist activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C., nearly two years ago. Last October, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme said the police force has evidence linking Indian government officials to other crimes in Canada, including extortion, coercion and homicide. Dhaliwal, who represents the riding where Nijjar was killed, says the invitation betrays Canadian values and should have been made conditional on India's full co-operation with Canadian law enforcement. Carney has said he wants to keep policing matters separate from Canada's responsibilities as G7 chair and has argued that India, one of the world's largest economies, belongs at the table. Carney has said India has agreed to continue 'law enforcement dialogue.' Modi's comment on his Friday call with Carney did not mention policing. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2025. David Baxter, The Canadian Press
National Post
09-06-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Sikh groups call on MPs to denounce Carney's G7 invitation to Modi
OTTAWA — A group of Canadian Sikh organizations is calling on members of Parliament to denounce Prime Minister Mark Carney's invitation to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to next week's G7 leaders' meeting. Article content The open letter comes after Carney defended the invitation to Modi last Friday, saying it was important to have India at the table, given that it represents the world's fifth-largest economy, is essential to supply chains, and now boasts the world's largest population. Article content Article content Article content 'Carney's decision is not merely a diplomatic miscalculation,' reads the letter, released Monday. Article content Article content 'It is a direct insult to the Sikh community and a grave threat to the integrity of Canada's institutions.' Article content Signatories included the World Sikh Organization, the British Columbia Gurdwaras Council and Sikh Federation, as well as the Ontario Gurdwaras Committee and the Quebec Sikh Council. Article content The statements follows comments on Friday by Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal, who represents the Surrey, B.C., riding where Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed outside of a temple in June 2023, that he was concerned by the invitation extended to Modi and planned to raise it with Carney this week. Dhaliwal said he had received dozens of calls and more than 100 emails from constituents expressing concern about Modi's attendance at the summit. Article content The groups cite the statement made by former prime minister Justin Trudeau in September 2023 that Canada had 'credible allegations' that India's government was involved in the death of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whom police say was gunned down outside of a temple in June of that year. Article content That accusation sent shockwaves through Canada and resulted in a souring of relations with India, which denied the allegations. Article content India had regarded Nijjar as a terrorist. He was a prominent activist in the Khalistan movement, which pushes for a separate Sikh state to be created in India's Punjab province. Article content Four Indian nationals have been charged in his death. Article content Last fall, further tension was inserted into the Canada-India relationship when the RCMP went public with a statement that it believed India's government to be involved in violence unfolding in Canada, from murder to criminal gangs.
