Canada panel to probe India’s ‘role in federal polls’

The Commission examining foreign interference in the Canadian Federal elections in 2019 and 2021 has asked Ottawa to provide information related to India in this context.

In a release on Wednesday, the Commission said it has “requested that the Government of Canada’s collection and production of document” should include “include information and documents relating to alleged interference by India related to the 2019 and 2021 elections.”

The Commission, led by Quebec Judge Marie-Josee Hogue, was created to ”respond to concerns about foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.” That was based on reporting in the outlet the Globe and Mail and Global News about Chinese interference in those elections allegedly in favour of the ruling Liberal Party. The Commission will also “examine the flow of information within the federal government in relation to these issues, evaluate the actions taken in response, assess the federal government’s capacity to detect, deter, and counter foreign interference, and make recommendations on these issues.”

Read Here | India will assist Canada extortion probe, need formal request: Envoy

It is expected to complete an interim report by May 3, 2024 and deliver its final report by December 31, 2024.

Relations between India and Canada are already at their nadir after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement in the House of Commons on September 18 that there were “credible allegations” of a potential link between Indian agents and the killing of Khalistani figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18.

As the Hindustan Times reported in December, the Commission included India within its ambit, as it provided standing to an advocacy group that “could assist the Commission better understand the impact of foreign interference on the Indian community in Canada.”

Read Here | S Jaishankar on what is ‘damaging’ India-Canada ties: ‘These Khalistani forces…’

The group given standing to participate in the policy phase of the inquiry was Justice For All Canada (JFAC). While release the list of entities given standing for the inquiry, the Commission stated that JFAC said “it is an active advocate for the Indian diaspora community in Canada. It indicates that the Indian diaspora has, for many years, lived with the fear of harassment, violence, and retribution from Indian foreign agents, which has limited their freedom of speech and full participation in the democratic process.”

However, the Commissioner noted that JFAC was “not an Indian diaspora organization as such, it does appear to have experience working with that community.”

“I believe that, if necessary, it could assist the Commission better understand the impact of foreign interference on the Indian community in Canada,” she said.