Canada’s federal commission of inquiry into foreign interference has said it was looking to examine alleged meddling by India and whether India played any role in influencing the two ballots (2019 and 2021). The commission said it had asked the federal government to produce documentation related to such allegations.
The commission’s initial hearings are set to begin on Monday and will look at the challenges and limitations of disclosing classified national security information and intelligence to the public. The commission’s interim report is expected on May 3, while the final report is expected by this year-end.
Last year, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau initiated an inquiry following the leak of intelligence documents to the media which alleged that China had interfered in Canada’s elections by endorsing candidates sympathetic to Beijing.
Highly-placed sources told ET that the move has been initiated by radical Jagmeet Singh of New Democratic Party, a coalition partner of Trudeau. They did not rule out the Trudeau government trying to deflect attention from Chinese interference in Canadian politics.
Singh has been alleged to influence Trudeau’s pro-Khalistan politics and the Trudeau-Jagmeet alliance has engaged in vote bank politics amid the Canadian PM’s rising unpopularity, according to Canada watchers.Singh, a Sikh of Indian origin, has vowed to get ‘justice’ for the killing of Nijjar. Prior to politics, Singh worked as a criminal defence lawyer in the Greater Toronto Area. On October 1, 2017, Singh became the National Democratic Party (NDP) leader. Singh is the first non-white leader of a major Canadian political party.
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