Latest news with #SukhDhaliwal
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'They're worried': Liberal MP plans to raise concerns about Modi visit to Carney
OTTAWA — A Liberal MP says he intends to raise concerns to Prime Minister Mark Carney about the decision to invite India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada as part of a meeting of G7 leaders later this month. Sukh Dhaliwal represents the Surrey, B.C., riding where Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed outside of a temple in June 2023, and whose death Canada has linked to the Indian government. Dhaliwal says he has received dozens of calls and more than 100 emails from constituents expressing concern about Modi's plans to attend the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta, at Carney's invitation. 'They're worried. They're worried about their safety, they're concerned about the justice in Mr. Nijjar's case, as well,' he told National Post in an interview late Friday. Former prime minister Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons in September 2023 that Canada had 'credible allegations' that agents acting on behalf of the Indian government were involved Nijjar's death. Last fall, the RCMP said it also had evidence linking Modi's government to violence unfolding in Canada, including organized crime and murders. Dhaliwal said he has heard other Liberal MPs also express concern about Modi's upcoming visit, but declined to divulge details to protect their privacy. He said he intends to raise the concerns he has been hearing from constituents with Carney or his team, and will be in Ottawa next week for the ongoing sitting of Parliament. 'He's willing to talk,' Dhaliwal said of the prime minister. 'He's willing to listen to his MPs, that's what he has promised because he has always said that he's interested in the voice from the grassroots, not the message coming from the top to the grassroots.' 'I will certainly raise this with him or his team.' A statement from Carney's office in response to questions from National Post didn't directly address Dhaliwal's concerns, but said 'Canada's sovereignty and national security is paramount.' 'As Prime Minister of the fifth largest economy and the world's most populous country, Prime Minister Modi was invited to participate in these critical discussions,' the statement reads. Carney also defended his decision to invite Modi to the G7 at a Friday press conference earlier in the day, saying India was central to supply chains. He said he discussed the matter with other G7 countries. Modi said on social media that 'India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests.' Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre backed the decision for Modi to attend, saying Canada needs to work with India on security and trade. Meanwhile, the World Sikh Organization, which advocates for Sikh Canadians, denounced the decision, with its legal counsel, Balpreet Singh, saying it amounts to a 'betrayal.' Four Indian nationals have been charged in Nijjar's death. India has denied the accusation Canada made about having any involvement in his killing. It had considered Nijjar to be a terrorist. Nijjar was a prominent activist in the Khalistan movement, which has pushed to establish a separate Sikh state in India's Punjab province. Carney declined to say on Friday whether he believed Modi was involved in Nijjar's assassination, saying it would be inappropriate for him to comment on the matter given the fact that legal proceedings were underway. Dhaliwal said he does not support the decision to have Modi in Canada, but believes he should offer a 'commitment that his government or his agents of India, will never, ever intervene into the lives of Canadians.' India's prime minister should also agree to 'full cooperation' in the investigation into Niijar's death. Last fall, Canada and India expelled each other's diplomats after citing RCMP evidence linking Indian government agents to crimes in Canada. Canada had requested that India waive diplomatic immunity to allow police to investigate, which the federal government said did not happen. Carney said on Friday that he and Modi in their recent phone call, agreed to 'law enforcement to law enforcement dialogue. He also noted that 'some progress' had been made on issues of 'accountability.' Dhaliwal said the RCMP has been clear in its concerns about the links between the Indian government and violent crimes taking place in Canada. He also pointed to Justice Marie-Josée Hogue's report into foreign interference that named India as one of the top countries attempting to meddle in Canada's democratic process. The invitation to Modi touches on the rule of law and fundamental rights, he added. 'We cannot sacrifice those values.' National Post staylor@ Mark Carney defends inviting Modi to G7, prompting shock from Sikh organization Carney prepared to sit over the summer to pass new bill to fast-track major projects Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what's really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
National Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
'They're worried': Liberal MP plans to raise concerns about Modi visit to Carney
OTTAWA — A Liberal MP says he intends to raise concerns to Prime Minister Mark Carney about the decision to invite India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada as part of a meeting of G7 leaders later this month. Article content Sukh Dhaliwal represents the Surrey, B.C., riding that was home to Sikh activist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whom Canada said in 2023 was killed by agents acting on behalf of the Indian government. Nijjar was gunned down outside a temple in June 2023. Article content Article content Article content India has denied the accusation but had considered Nijjar to be a terrorist. Nijjar was a prominent activist in the Khalistan movement, which has pushed to establish a separate Sikh state in India's Punjab province. Article content Article content The accusation from former prime minister Justin Trudeau in September 2023 sparked a wave of tension in the Canada-India relationship, including last fall when the RCMP said it believed Modi's government was linked to violence unfolding in Canada, including organized crime and murders. Article content 'They're worried. They're worried about their safety, they're concerned about the justice in Mr. Nijjar's case, as well,' he told National Post in an interview late Friday. Article content Dhaliwal said he has heard from other Liberal MPs also expressing concern, but said he would not divulge details to protect their privacy. Article content Article content He said he intends to raise the concerns he has been hearing from constituents with Carney or members of his team, and will be in Ottawa next week for the ongoing sitting of Parliament. Article content Article content 'He's willing to talk,' Dhaliwal said of the prime minister. Article content 'He's willing to listen to his MPs, that's what he has promised because he has always said that he's interested in the voice from the grassroots, not the message coming from the top to the grassroots.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'They're worried': Liberal MP plans to raise concerns about Modi visit to Carney
OTTAWA — A Liberal MP says he intends to raise concerns to Prime Minister Mark Carney about the decision to invite India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada as part of a meeting of G7 leaders later this month. Sukh Dhaliwal represents the Surrey, B.C., riding that was home to Sikh activist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whom Canada said in 2023 was killed by agents acting on behalf of the Indian government. Nijjar was gunned down outside a temple in June 2023. India has denied the accusation but had considered Nijjar to be a terrorist. Nijjar was a prominent activist in the Khalistan movement, which has pushed to establish a separate Sikh state in India's Punjab province. The accusation from former prime minister Justin Trudeau in September 2023 sparked a wave of tension in the Canada-India relationship, including last fall when the RCMP said it believed Modi's government was linked to violence unfolding in Canada, including organized crime and murders. A breakthrough appeared on Friday when Modi confirmed he would be attending the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta, at Carney's invitation. Since then, Dhaliwal says he has received dozens of calls and more than 100 emails from constituents expressing concern. 'They're worried. They're worried about their safety, they're concerned about the justice in Mr. Nijjar's case, as well,' he told National Post in an interview late Friday. Dhaliwal said he has heard from other Liberal MPs also expressing concern, but said he would not divulge details to protect their privacy. He said he intends to raise the concerns he has been hearing from constituents with Carney or members of his team, and will be in Ottawa next week for the ongoing sitting of Parliament. 'He's willing to talk,' Dhaliwal said of the prime minister. 'He's willing to listen to his MPs, that's what he has promised because he has always said that he's interested in the voice from the grassroots, not the message coming from the top to the grassroots.' 'I will certainly raise this with him or his team.' A statement from Carney's office in response to questions from National Post didn't directly address Dhaliwal's concerns, but said 'Canada's sovereignty and national security is paramount.' 'As Prime Minister of the fifth largest economy and the world's most populous country, Prime Minister Modi was invited to participate in these critical discussions,' the statement reads. The prime minister also defended his decision to invite Modi to the G7 at a Friday press conference earlier in the day. He said it was a matter he discussed with other G7 countries and, given that the group plans to discuss issues ranging from energy security to critical minerals and infrastructure, 'there are certain countries that should be at the table for those discussions.' Carney said India is central to a number of supply chains and has the fifth largest economy in the world and the largest population. 'So it makes sense.' Modi said in a statement on social media that 'India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests.' Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre backed the decision for Modi to attend, saying Canada needs to work with India on security and trade. Meanwhile, the World Sikh Organization, which advocates for Sikh Canadians, denounced the decision, with its legal counsel, Balpreet Singh, saying it amounts to a 'betrayal.' Carney declined to say on Friday whether he believed Modi was involved in Nijjar's assassination, saying it would be inappropriate for him to comment on the matter given the fact that legal proceedings were underway. Four Indian nationals have been charged in his death. Dhaliwal said he does not support the decision to have Modi in Canada, but said he should offer a 'commitment that his government or his agents of India, will never, ever intervene into the lives of Canadians.' India's prime minister should also agree to 'full cooperation' in the investigation into Niijar's death. Last fall, Canada and India expelled each other's diplomats after it cited RCMP evidence linking Indian government agents to crimes in Canada. Canada had requested that India waive diplomatic immunity to allow police to investigate, which the federal government said did not happen. Carney said on Friday that he and Modi in their discussion agreed to 'law enforcement to law enforcement dialogue. He also noted that 'some progress' had been made on issues of 'accountability.' Dhaliwal said the RCMP has been clear in its concerns about the links between the Indian government and violent crimes taking place in Canada. He also pointed to Justice Marie-Josée Hogue's report into foreign interference that named India as one of the top countries attempting to meddle in Canada's democratic process. The invitation to Modi touches on issues of the rule of law and fundamental rights, he added. 'We cannot sacrifice those values.' National Post staylor@ Mark Carney defends inviting Modi to G7, prompting shock from Sikh organization Carney prepared to sit over the summer to pass new bill to fast-track major projects Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what's really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
CBC
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Constituents ‘concerned' about Carney inviting Modi to G7, says B.C. Liberal MP
On Friday, Prime Minister Mark Carney defended his decision to invite the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 summit in Alberta just months after the RCMP alleged agents of the Indian government are playing a role in murders and other violent acts. B.C. Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal, who represents the Surrey riding where Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot in 2023, tells Power & Politics that his constituents are 'concerned about the justice.'
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First Post
30-04-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Punjabis in the House: A record to cheer in Canada
A record 22 Punjabi-origin candidates were elected to Canada's House of Commons in the 2025 federal election. Among them, Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal won a sixth term, sparking celebrations in his native village in Punjab. Read on for more details. read more 22 Punjabi-origin candidates secured seats in Canada's House of Commons in the 2025 election. Punjab's Sujapur village erupted in celebration on Tuesday (April 29) as native son Sukh Dhaliwal secured his sixth term in Canada's federal elections. Contesting on a Liberal Party ticket, Dhaliwal won from Surrey Newton, defeating Conservative candidate Harjit Singh Gill. The 64-year-old businessman-turned-politician is among 22 Punjabi-origin candidates elected to the Canadian House of Commons this year. The Liberal Party, which emerged victorious in the federal polls, fielded several candidates of South Asian and Punjabi descent, reflecting the growing influence of the diaspora in Canadian politics. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Dhaliwal, who earlier represented Newton—North Delta, has now retained Surrey Newton for the third consecutive time after wins in 2011, 2015, and 2019. Back in his native Sujapur village in the Jagraon region of Ludhiana, the mood was jubilant. Locals danced to dhol beats, burst crackers, and distributed sweets in celebration. His elder brother credited the win to Dhaliwal's deep connection to his roots and regular visits to the village. Gurcharan Singh Grewal, general secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Dhaliwal's former classmate, expressed pride over the win. 'He has always stayed close to the people of the village. It's a proud moment for all of us,' he said. Two more candidates from Punjab's Moga district—Amanpreet Singh Gill (Calgary Skyview) and Sukhman Gill (Abbotsford–South Langley), both Conservatives—also emerged victorious, prompting celebrations in their respective hometowns. Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and AAP MLA from Moga Amandeep Kaur Arora congratulated the winners, expressing hope for stronger diplomatic and cultural ties between India and Canada. Other prominent Punjabi-origin winners in the election include: Anita Anand (Liberal, Oakville East), Bardish Chagger (Liberal, Waterloo), Anju Dhillon (Liberal, Dorval–Lachine), Randeep Sarai (Liberal, Surrey Centre), Dalwinder Gill (Conservative, Calgary McKnight), Arpan Khanna (Conservative, Oxford), Tim Uppal (Conservative, Edmonton Gateway) Reacting to the results, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami called the victories 'a matter of great pride' for the Sikh and Punjabi communities globally. He attributed the success to the candidates' hard work, honesty, and humanitarian values, and urged them to uphold Sikh principles while serving in office. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Dhami also extended congratulations to the Liberal Party and its leader Mark Carney, commending their inclusivity and diverse representation. A record 22 Punjabi-origin candidates were elected as Members of Parliament in the 2025 Canadian federal election, the highest ever, up from 20 in 2019 and 17 in 2021. These winners represent both major parties: 12 are Liberals and 10 are Conservatives, showing strong cross-party support from the Punjabi community. Out of 65 Punjabi-origin candidates who contested (across Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba), the successful MPs include 6 women and 6 turbaned Sikh men, reflecting the community's diversity. Key results include: * NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, one of the most prominent Punjabi-Canadian politicians, lost his seat in Burnaby Central and announced he will step down as party leader. * Liberal minister Kamal Khera lost her Brampton West seat to Conservative Amarjit Gill. * Liberal ministers Anita Anand (Oakville East) and Bardish Chagger (Waterloo) retained their seats. * Conservative Tim Uppal held on to his Edmonton Gateway seat. * Liberal Sukh Dhaliwal was re-elected in Surrey-Newton. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This election marks a milestone for the Punjabi diaspora's influence in Canadian politics, with their largest-ever representation in Parliament. (Input from other agencies)
