India-Canada diplomatic ties: Sri Lanka says ‘terrorists have found safe haven’, Trudeau govt updates advisory | In 10 points

Stating that “terrorists have found safe haven in Canada”, the Sri Lankan Foreign minister Ali Sabry, meanwhile, said he was not surprised by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s “outrageous, unsubstantiated allegations” against India.

As frosty relations continue between New Delhi and Ottawa, here are the latest updates on the issue. 

1. 01

   Sri Lankan Foreign Minister weighs in

   Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry today weighed in on the India-Canada tensions. Terming PM Trudeau's comments in the Canadian Parliament last Monday as "outrageous, unsubstantiated allegations," Sabry told news agency ANI that he was "not surprised" as "some of the terrorists have found safe haven in Canada".

   "The Canadian PM has this way of just coming out with some outrageous allegations without any supporting proof," he claimed, adding that Trudeau had made similar comments about the political situation in his country. "I don't think anyone should poke their nose into other countries and tell as to how we should govern our country," Sabry added.

   #WATCH | New York: On India-Canada row, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ali Sabry says "Some of the terrorists have found safe haven in Canada. The Canadian PM has this way of just coming out with some outrageous allegations without any supporting proof. The same thing they did for… pic.twitter.com/J2KfzbAG99

   — ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2023

2. 02

   'No impact on army-to-army relationship'

   Canada's Deputy Army Chief Major General Peter Scott said that the diplomatic tensions have not affected the relationship between the Indian and Canadian armies. He was speaking at the 13th biannual Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPACC).

   "I am fully aware of, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's statement. The government's stance and the government's request for India to participate in, and cooperate in the investigation. But, really, that has no impact on us here at the Indo-Pacific conference. We're really here to build relationships from army to army, and we'll let our governments deal with that issue, themselves," Major General Scott said, as per ANI.

   VIDEO | "That's a political issue and we will let the political masters deal with that. The Armies (of both countries) will focus on learning from each other and finding opportunities to train and exercise together," says Major General Peter Scott, Deputy Commander of the… pic.twitter.com/w4ZEDU1tWT

   — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 26, 2023

   "We're very grateful to be here as part of the Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPAC), 2023. Canada continues to look for opportunities where we can participate in training or exercises with partners in the Indo-Pacific region," he said, adding,  "We're very happy to be here and very gracious for India to be hosting this."

3. 03

   Told about the allegations an hour before public, says British Columbia premier

   British Columbia's provincial leader David Eby said that he came to know about PM Trudeau's allegations against India on Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing only an hour before the public did. Nijjar, who was a resident of British Columbia, was killed outside a gurudwara in Surrey in June.

   “There’s a critical need for provinces to be brought into the loop at an earlier stage,” Eby told Canadian media house CTV News on Monday. “CSIS [Canadian Security Intelligence Service], for example, by law is required to only share their intelligence with the federal government, It means that when they brief me – which they did that day – they can share basically what’s in the public domain already, which is not helpful. I can read the newspaper, too.”

   Today, Prime Minister Trudeau announced the Government of Canada has credible evidence of links between the Government of India and the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Surrey.

   (1/9) pic.twitter.com/3EF1BDKOIq

   — David Eby (@Dave_Eby) September 18, 2023

4. 04

   US reiterates need for investigation

   The United States said that it has "publicly and privately" urged India to cooperate with the Canadian government's investigation into the murder.

   "We are deeply concerned by the allegations referenced by Prime Minister Trudeau. We remain in close contact with our Canadian partners, as the Secretary said on Friday. We believe it’s critical that Canada’s investigation proceed and that the perpetrators be brought to justice. And we have publicly – and privately – urged the Indian Government to cooperate in the Canadian investigation," US State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller said in a routine briefing on Monday.

   India has maintained that Canada has yet to share any specific information of its involvement in the matter, and that if it were to do so, New Delhi would be willing to look into it.

5. 05

   Protess outside Indian consulates in Toronto, Vancouver

   Small protests were carried out on the streets outside India's diplomatic missions in Vancouver, Ottawa and Toronto yesterday, protesting Nijjar's killing.

   A report in the news agency PTI put the number of protesters at around 100 each. While those in Toronto burned an Indian flag and struck a cardboard cut-out of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a shoe, the ones in Ottawa waved yellow flags marked with the world "Khalistan" on it.

6. 06

   Concerned about India's visa suspension, says Canadian defence minister

   Canada’s Defence Minister Bill Blair expressed concern over India suspending visa services in the country, amid the souring relationship between the two nations. India had temporarily suspended the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens in view of “security threats” faced by its High Commission and Consulates in Canada. However, those with valid visas and documents like OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) cards are still free to travel to India.

   "I am concerned about the measures that they’re taking because we have a very significant (and) important Indo-Canadian population in this country, people who are connected to family and through business and other relationships to India," he said. Read his full statement here. 

7. 07

   Canada updates travel advisory for India

   Canada, meanwhile, updated its travel advisory for India, and asked its citizens in the country to "remain vigilant and exercise caution."

   "In the context of recent developments in Canada and in India, there are calls for protests and some negative sentiment towards Canada on social media. Please remain vigilant and exercise caution," it said.

   India had issued a similar advisory for its citizens, especially students, in Canada last week, warning them against “anti-India activities” and “politically-condoned hate crimes”.

8. 08

   Jaishankar may address Canada issue at UNGA today

   All eyes are on External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, who is set to address the United Nations General Assembly today. Media reports have said that he is expected to provide a rebuttal to PM Trudeau's allegations.

   #UNGA78 continues.

   Met with 🇦🇪 🇲🇽 🇧🇦 🇦🇲 🇱🇰 🇲🇬 and 🇺🇳 pic.twitter.com/hdg7hdpAzy

   — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 26, 2023

   Earlier, while speaking in New York on Sunday, Jaishankar said, “In the name of the market, a lot of things are done, like in the name of freedom, a lot of things are done,”, hinting at Trudeau’s statements defending pro-Khalistan activities in his country by citing freedom of speech.

   India has accused Ottawa of not acting against the Khalistan separatists in Canada, and not sharing any specific information on the killing of Nijjar.

9. 09

   We care about both countries, says US Envoy Eric Garcetti

   US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said that America cares about both India and Canada, and its relationship with both is "rock solid."

   "We care about both countries, and we care about their relationship. Our relationship is rock solid with both of them. And I think that all of us need to make sure that we can come together as countries that take seriously sovereignty, take seriously security, and take seriously the potential of our relationship," he said, as per an ANI report.

10. 10

    Trudeau 'deeply embarrassed' over honouring Ukrainian veteran

    In other news, PM Trudeau was left red-faced on Monday after a Ukrainian veteran who was honoured in the Canadian parliament was revealed to be a former Nazi soldier.

    "It's extremely upsetting that this happened. The Speaker has acknowledged his mistake and has apologised. But this is something that is deeply embarrassing to the Parliament of Canada and by extension to all Canadians," Trudeau said.

    His comments came after the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, Anthony Rota, honoured the 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka, who served in the first Ukrainian division, also known as the SS division "Galicia" during World War II.