Two days after Justin Trudeau-led-Canadian government accused Indian agencies of killing Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Premier of British Columbia David Eby on Friday (September 22) informed the media that the ‘intelligence briefing’ received by him was based on open-source, internet material.
“The only briefing I’m able to receive from the CSIS (Canadian intelligence agency) are open information briefings or open source briefings which is information that’s available to the public doing an internet search – Which I found frustrating,” Eby was heard as saying.
Trudeau had sparked a diplomatic standoff with India, based on unfounded intelligence reports about the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which are still under the purview of investigation of the Canadian Intelligence Agency (CSIS).
‘Trudeau reached out with a briefing, I said yes. The briefing was open source, available in an internet search. Which I found frustrating.’
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) September 23, 2023
~ David Eby, Premier of British Columbia, the 🇨🇦province where Nijjar was shot. His party is tied to the NDP, Trudeau’s biggest Govt ally. pic.twitter.com/13CGAxj52M
David Eby, who represents the New Democratic Party in Canada and is an ally of the Trudeau government, expressed frustration that the government was withholding information about the Khalistani terrorist.
He added that Trudeau reached out to him before speaking in the Parliament about the matter. “I expressed my frustration in the meeting with the CSIS director about our inability to get more concrete information,” the Premier of British Columbia emphasised.
He also sought reforms with the Canadian Intelligence Agency so that it can share more information with provincial leaders and not just open source, easily available material on the internet.
“If that’s what’s required, let’s make it happen, because the only way that we’re going to make traction on this is by the federal government trusting the provincial government with information and being able to act on it in our local communities,” Eby added.
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.
— David Eby (@Dave_Eby) September 18, 2023
(1/9) pic.twitter.com/3EF1BDKOIq
Earlier on September 19, the Premier of British Columbia was seen reiterating the talking points of Justin Trudeau and calling for non-interference by foreign governments in the internal affairs of Canada.
“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,” he claimed while downplaying the terror links of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
The Background of the Controversy
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the head of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib and a wanted Khalistani terrorist in India, was shot dead in Surrey by two unidentified assailants on June 18 this year. He was a wanted terrorist by the Indian Government. The 46-year-old hailed from the village Bhar Singhpura of Jalandhar.
On Tuesday (September 19), the Canadian government expelled one Indian diplomat after PM Justin Trudeau blamed India for the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The development came after Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly informed in a presser that the allegations of India’s involvement are being investigated. She termed the killing an attack on Canada’s sovereignty and informed that as a consequence, Canada has expelled one top Indian diplomat.
In a swift response, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that any allegation of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s killing is ‘absurd and motivated’. It has also expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in response to Canada’s hostile behaviour towards India, and open support to anti-India terrorists.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi shared on X, “The High Commissioner of Canada was summoned today and informed about India’s decision to expel a senior Canadian diplomat based in India. The Concerned diplomat has been asked to leave India in the next five days.”
