Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has done it again. This time he attended a Khalsa Day event and assured the gathering of safety, security and freedom to practice their faith. The event was attended by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh, and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow. When Trudeau was speaking, pro-Khalistan slogans were raised. The least he could have done is admonish the groups and condemn the pro-Khalistan elements. But the 8 lakh-strong crowd forms a considerable vote-bank. Hence Trudeau’s promise, “To the nearly 800,000 Canadians of Sikh heritage across this country, we will always be there to protect your rights and your freedoms, and we will always defend your community against hatred and discrimination.” New Delhi has lodged a strong protest.
It is no secret that New Delhi wants to see the back of Justin Trudeau at the earliest. No other top executive of a Canadian government would have extended support to anti-India elements as much as Trudeau has done so far. His earlier attempts to implicate the government of India in the murder of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar soured India-Canada relations and exposed his government’s unconcealed support to terrorists and anti-India elements in Canada. Clearly, the motive for Trudeau’s pro-Khalistan stand is to win another term and ensure continued support of his alliance partner Jagmeet Singh’s New Democratic Party.
But all is not well for Trudeau domestically and between his coalition partners. A recent poll has revealed his plummeting popularity among voters. This is not the first time that the majority of Canadian voters want their Prime Minister to quit office. Some of the voters have reportedly told the poll agency Ipsos that Trudeau should rather quit right than wait for the elections next year and be voted out.
Third term is unlikely
Some of the domestic policies implemented by Trudeau and his Liberal Party running a minority government since 2019 and re-elected in 2021 have ensured that his party loses the election next year. The Ipsos poll clearly indicates Trudeau’s failure in domestic policies, leaving people worried about five important areas such as inflation, health care, poverty and social inequality, high taxes, and climate change woes. Besides, housing also is a major issue that seriously affects the middle- and lower-income groups. Eighty percent of the population says that only the rich can afford to own a home and 72 percent of the population have given up hope of owning a home ever.
Canada is facing a serious housing problem as the middle-income families are either paying highly unaffordable rent or struggling to pay back housing loans. The Sikh diaspora also forms a large section of the homeless middle class, whose leader Jagmeet Singh has called for more government investment in the housing sector. His party, the NDP, which is supporting Trudeau, has openly criticised the Prime Minister’s health and housing policies.
Trudeau will have to increase government spending on housing and health sectors and win back the support of immigrant communities, especially the Sikh migrants from Punjab. As many of them are closely linked to local gurdwaras, the scramble for the leadership of these religious places have become a highly contentious issue, often requiring support from government agencies.
This could be one of the many reasons behind Trudeau and his party reaching out to Sikh leadership of all kinds, including the Khalistan groups, which have both money and muscle power.
Trudeau govt’s missteps
Besides inflation, housing and health care, drug abuse has become a major issue and a cause of worry for average Canadians. Opposition leader Poilievre has accused Trudeau of inaction. While Canada legalised recreational cannabis in 2018, a pilot project was launched in January 2023 exempting those in possession of up to 2.5 grams or less of common street drugs such as cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and MDMA. The project met with huge resistance from not only health workers and police but also political leaders who were under pressure from families that fell victims to drug menace. The spike in violent crimes had a direct link to drug overdose. Once considered a crime, the trading and consumption of drugs were no longer criminal offences due to a change in the Federal Criminal Code. According to a report, between January 2016 and December 2021, nearly 30,000 Canadians have died of opioid overdose. Encampments meant for homeless people have turned into illicit drug trade centres.
New Delhi cannot wait for Canada to hold elections next year and bring the much-needed change in its apex leadership, which would ensure that Canada is not used as a platform for anti-India activities. India will have to put in place a strong mechanism to defend the safety and security of its citizens at home and abroad, even if this mechanism involves proactive steps. New Delhi cannot imperil its security at the altar of Trudeau’s political ambitions.
Many Western nations are uncomfortable with extending unconditional support to Canada in its endorsement of Sikh extremist groups, which appears to be motivated by a desire to secure a particular voting bloc. Numerous economies require unhindered economic and strategic relations with India to counterbalance China’s aggressive rise. Chinese interference in Canadian elections and trade policies is a grave concern for several Western democracies.
New Delhi can impress upon Trudeau’s political opponents the need to disassociate state institutions from supporting extremist and hegemonic ideologies. Canadian political parties should be informed about the importance of engaging with India as equals in the broader interest of the Indo-Pacific security and economic framework. For India and the Canadian opposition, Trudeau’s leadership is expendable.
Seshadri Chari is the former editor of ‘Organiser’. He tweets @seshadrichari. Views are personal.
(Edited by Prashant)