Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly is still in the country after the Indian government expelled a group of Indian diplomats following a shocking public statement by the RCMP linking the Indian government to violent crimes in Canada. More than a dozen Indian diplomats have been warned to respect Canadian laws.
“They’re obviously paying attention,” Jolie said. “Six of them were expelled, including the high commissioner in Ottawa. The others were mainly from Toronto and Vancouver.
“It is clear that we will not tolerate diplomats who violate the Vienna Convention.”
Jolie’s comments, directed at the remaining 15 Indian diplomats, come days after the RCMP chief condemned the Indian government, its agents and diplomats’ relationship with the Indian government. . A wide range of criminal acts occur in Canada, including coercion, extortion, and murder.
RCMP said there were more than a dozen credible and imminent threats against members of the South Asian community, particularly Sikh members of the pro-Khalistan movement.
RCMP also said there was evidence that Indian diplomats and Canadian consular staff were involved in covert activities such as gathering intelligence for the government.
On Thursday, the Indian government Denies collaboration with criminals in Canada Targeting Sikh separatists.
Jolie said the threat was real.
“There is definitely a threat, which is why the RCMP has decided to take the unusual step of publicizing the fact that Canadians are being threatened. [were] Victim of extortion or [received] “We received death threats because Indian intelligence agents and diplomats were involved in these criminal activities,” Jolie said at a press conference in Montreal.
Asked whether more Indian diplomats could be expelled from Canada, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said the government will not tolerate diplomats who violate the Vienna Convention or endanger the lives of Canadians. said. The government on Monday announced the expulsion of six Indian diplomats and consular staff.
Joly said Russia has targeted Germany and the United Kingdom with this type of cross-border crackdown, but it has never been carried out on this scale in Canada, and the government is “resolute on this issue.” We need to approach it with an attitude.”
“We’ve never seen anything like that in our history,” Jolie said. “That level of cross-border repression cannot occur on Canadian soil.”
Cameron McKay was the recent Canadian High Commissioner to India. He left the country in August. He said it was a “colossal failure on the part of the Indian government” to think that its agents could arrange violent crimes across Canada and the United States and get away with it.
“Some very serious red lines have been crossed, which is why Canada has taken as strong diplomatic and law enforcement measures as we have in the past,” he told CBC host David Cochrane. Ta. power and politics .
“The Indian government’s position so far has to be to deny and denigrate Canada and distract the domestic audience from the real facts of what is happening here. They do that by attacking Canada. I am going.”
McKay said restoring diplomatic ties with Canada is “not high on India’s agenda” at this point, adding that it “will take quite a long time” for relations to return to normal. In the long term, he said, Canada “wants a better relationship with India. There’s a lot we can and should do together.”
But McKay said some people in New Delhi “have made very serious fundamental errors in decision-making over the last few years. We need some accountability for that before things get back to normal.” I have to bear the burden,” he said.
Testifying at a hearing on foreign interference, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attacked Conservative Leader Pierre Poièvre for refusing to give him a security clearance needed to explain his case. Prime Minister Trudeau also provided further details about India’s alleged involvement in targeting Canadians, saying he knew the names of Conservative MPs involved in foreign interference.
There was a moment of unity during an emergency meeting on Friday, with members of all parties on the parliamentary committee agreeing to consider the issue.
NDP MP Alistair MacGregor has introduced a motion calling on the National Security and Intelligence Parliamentary Committee (NSICOP) to investigate allegations of election interference and violent criminal activity by Indian government agents.
Lawmakers agreed to at least six meetings and agreed to invite multiple ministers, RCMP commissioners, the national security adviser and national security experts to testify, along with members of the South Asian community.
The motion also called for testimony from other candidates in the 2022 Conservative Party leadership race, including Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown and current party leader Pierre Poièvre. The Conservatives also called for the inquiry to be expanded to include testimony from two deputy ministers and the new head of CSIS.
A high-profile report by a group of national security-cleared MPs from all parties said: India is accused of interfering in the election of a single Conservative Party leader.
The Conservative Party responded in June, saying it was the first time it had heard of such allegations and that Poilievre’s campaign was “not aware of what was being referred to.”
Conservative foreign affairs commentator Michael Chong accused the prime minister of defaming the party by claiming some members were subject to foreign interference, while Justin Trudeau, Conservative leader It continues to accuse Pierre Poièvre of not having the necessary security clearance to view press conferences on foreign interference.
Friday’s committee meeting turned into a debate over whether Poilievre should receive a security clearance that would allow him to read the unredacted NSICOP report on the allegations.
Mr. McGregor introduced a motion to the committee calling on all Federalist leaders to apply for security clearance within the next 30 days.
Conservative MPs hit back with an amendment calling for the government to publish the names of all current and former MPs who have been involved in, or are at high risk of, foreign interference.
At a public inquiry hearing into foreign interference this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called out Conservative MPs, former MPs and/or candidates who are “involved, or at high risk of being involved, or are involved.” He testified that he saw a list of names. We have clear information about foreign interference. ”
He later said the list included members of the Liberal Party and other political parties.
