ottawa –
The British government has said India should cooperate with Canada’s investigation into allegations that the Indian government is involved in a growing number of violent crimes in Canada.
Ottawa expelled six Indian diplomats on Monday after the RCMP said it had credible evidence that Indian agents were involved in extortion, coercion and murder of Canadian citizens on Canadian soil. The six diplomats refused to waive their diplomatic immunity to answer RCMP questions related to the investigation.
In London, Britain’s Foreign Office said Monday it was in contact with Ottawa about “serious developments” and insisted India’s cooperation with Canada’s legal process was the “right next step.”
With four major political parties calling for an emergency investigation, MPs are expected to consider how best for Ottawa to respond to the bombshell.
Tuesday’s letter asks the House of Commons Public Safety Committee to convene at least one meeting to discuss “steps the government can take to protect Canadians.”
Lawmakers cite parliamentary rules that require the clerk to hold a meeting within five days of receiving the clerkship and that committees must issue notice two days before the meeting.
The House of Representatives is in recess this week, but MPs can appear before committees virtually and call witnesses.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson said in a press briefing on Tuesday that the United States has long urged India to cooperate with Canadian authorities, but declined to comment on the nature of the new allegations.
In a statement, New Zealand said only that it found Canada’s allegations alarming and would await judicial proceedings, without mentioning India.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in September 2023 that Canadian intelligence agencies are investigating potential links between the Indian government and the June 2023 murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia. They announced that they are looking into reliable information regarding the connection.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2024.
