Canadian Speaker Raymonde Gagne skips G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit amid India-Canada row

Amidst the ongoing diplomatic spat between Canada and India, Speaker of the Canadian Senate Raymonde Gagne skipped the Presiding Officers' Summit of Parliaments of G20 nations that began in New Delhi on Thursday (Oct 12).

Last week, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that Gagne had confirmed her participation at the Parliament-20 meeting being hosted by India on October 12-14.

"The Canadian Speaker is not attending the Summit. Schedules keep changing," news agency PTI quoted parliamentary sources as saying.

Earlier, Birla said that he would raise "several issues" in his informal talks with the Speaker of the Canadian Senate.

"We will discuss issues that have been listed for the summit. Other issues will be discussed informally," he said on being asked whether the matter of using the Canadian Parliament to level allegations against India will be raised with the Canadian presiding officer.

Trudeau dials UAE President, King of Jordan, discusses India-Canada ties

Recently, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised India-Canada diplomatic spat with several global leaders while discussing the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Trudeau dialled the king of Jordan on Monday (Oct 9) and provided him with an "update on the situation between Canada and India, underscoring the importance of respecting the rule of law and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations," his office said in a statement.

His conversation came just hours after he spoke to the President of UAE along the same lines.

"On the phone today, His Highness @MohamedBinZayed and I spoke about the current situation in Israel. We expressed our deep concern and discussed the need to protect civilian life. We also spoke about India and the importance of upholding – and respecting – the rule of law," he wrote on his official X account.

India-Canada row

A diplomatic standoff erupted between India and Canada after PM Trudeau suggested in his address to the House of Commons that India might be linked to the death of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. Ottawa also expelled a senior Indian diplomat even as the investigation continues.

However, India has strongly rejected these claims, while reiterating its adherence to the rule of law. New Delhi has also called on Ottawa to check the rampant anti-India activities on Canadian soil and respect the territorial integrity of India.

(With inputs from agencies)

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