Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggests he wants to raise the issue of foreign interference in a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 leaders summit — but it’s not clear yet if Modi will give him the opportunity.
Trudeau arrived in New Delhi Friday for the two-day summit. The G20 agenda is focused on climate change, food security, global energy needs, gender equality and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Trudeau’s government finally announced Thursday it will hold a public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference that have plagued Ottawa for months.
At a news conference in Singapore before leaving for India Friday, Trudeau said his schedule was still being finalized and a meeting with Modi had not been confirmed.
Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma has also been mum on whether Modi will make time for Trudeau.
“I’m sure they will meet each other. But what … the format of the meeting will be (is) difficult to say,” said Verma in an interview with The Canadian Press.
India has been a top source of foreign interference in Canada, Trudeau’s national security adviser Jody Thomas said earlier this year.
Trudeau suggested that if he’s granted a face-to-face meeting with Modi, he’ll bring up the issue of foreign interference.
“As always, we will emphasize how important the rule of law is,” Trudeau said Friday at a news conference in Singapore when asked what he would say to Modi about allegations that India has engaged in foreign meddling, including in relation to the large Sikh population in Canada.
The Khalistani separatist movement
Trudeau said China is not the only country deserving of scrutiny.
“It is incredibly important that we continue to protect Canadians from any and all types of interference,” he said Friday morning.
“One of the things we’re focused on in this inquiry is recognizing, yes, China and Russia are responsible for interference, but other countries engage in it as well,” he said, adding the commission “will go where the facts bring them.”
New Delhi has argued that elements in Canada have been behind interference in domestic affairs in India, including in relation to the Khalistani separatist movement, which advocates for part of the Indian state of Punjab to become an independent country.
The Indian government perceives this as an extremist movement that endangers national security and has long accused Canada of harbouring extremists. Ottawa has maintained that freedom of speech means groups can voice political opinions so long as they are not violent.
‘Not one issue will sidetrack the entire relationship’: envoy
Police said they have no evidence of any links to foreign interference and had no reason to believe the Sikh community in Canada is at risk.
Nadir Patel, Canada’s former high commissioner to India, said the two countries have a resilient relationship despite some challenges.
“This is a thriving relationship, and you can’t say that about too many countries. India is among our fast growing trading partners, and the relationship is far more resilient than to be sidetracked by one or two issues,” Patel said.
This is Trudeau’s first trip to India since his controversial visit in 2018. At the time, Modi appeared to ignore Trudeau’s presence entirely until the final days of the 10-day visit.
Patel said many of India’s priorities at the G20 align with Canada’s interests.
“The G20 will serve as an opportunity to make headway in those areas, but use those dialogues to bridge gaps that may exist elsewhere,” Patel said.
The trip also comes as Canada has paused ongoing negotiations for a trade agreement with India.
Earlier this week, federal Trade Minister Mary Ng said the pause is only “a reflection to take stock of where we are.”
On Friday, Trudeau said he had nothing to add.
“We know the negotiations around free trade are long and complex and I won’t say any more at this time,” he said.
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the NDP is caving to political pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre when it comes to their stance on the consumer carbon price.
Trudeau says he believes Jagmeet Singh and the NDP care about the environment, but it’s “increasingly obvious” that they have “no idea” what to do about climate change.
On Thursday, Singh said the NDP is working on a plan that wouldn’t put the burden of fighting climate change on the backs of workers, but wouldn’t say if that plan would include a consumer carbon price.
Singh’s noncommittal position comes as the NDP tries to frame itself as a credible alternative to the Conservatives in the next federal election.
Poilievre responded to that by releasing a video, pointing out that the NDP has voted time and again in favour of the Liberals’ carbon price.
British Columbia Premier David Eby also changed his tune on Thursday, promising that a re-elected NDP government would scrap the long-standing carbon tax and shift the burden to “big polluters,” if the federal government dropped its requirements.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Simon Jolin-Barrette, minister responsible for consumer protection, has tabled a bill to force merchants to calculate tips based on the price before tax.
That means on a restaurant bill of $100, suggested tips would be calculated based on $100, not on $114.98 after provincial and federal sales taxes are added.
The bill would also increase the rebate offered to consumers when the price of an item at the cash register is higher than the shelf price, to $15 from $10.
And it would force grocery stores offering a discounted price for several items to clearly list the unit price as well.
Businesses would also have to indicate whether taxes will be added to the price of food products.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
