Ex-Trudeau minister: Canada could have handled India Nijjar accusations with greater caution | Exclusive

Stéphane Dion, a former foreign minister (2015-2017) under Justin Trudeau's government, has suggested that Canada could have handled claims and allegations of Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar with greater caution.

Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal in Montreal, Dion said Trudeau should have avoided a direct parliamentary statement blaming elements of the Indian government.

"Canada should not have intervened in Parliament and said, we have some evidence that are very worrying about what some services of the government of India is doing," Dion stated.

"We should have said, there is a investigation, and will stay mute about the investigation." Trudeau made the claim in the House of Commons in September 2023, asserting "credible allegations" linking Indian agents to the June 2023 shooting of Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia. The accusation triggered a major diplomatic rift, with India rejecting it as baseless and both countries expelling diplomats. Nijjar was a listed terrorist in India.

Dion, who served as foreign minister early in Trudeau's tenure and has held other senior roles, including leading the opposition. In the interview, he also said Canada supports a united India, when asked about Khalistani extremists getting space in the country, a major concern for Delhi.

WION: How do you see PM Carney's India visit?

Stéphane Dion: It's very, very key that India and Canada develop a very healthy and positive relationship. We need to diversify our support around the world. Canada cannot always be only with the US. We used to have a good relationship with India in the last few years it has been more difficult. But now our Prime Minister and your Prime Minister are very willing to go ahead and to do a lot of things together in the world.

WION: So since you served with Trudeau we'd like to know what has happened in the past. In a sense, the break in the relationship that came, the shrillness in the relationship that came during the tenure of Trudeau. Do you think that Parliament speech perhaps could have been avoided and things could have managed..

Stéphane Dion: When you have difficulties between two countries, it's usually the case that you have mistakes done to both sides. I think maybe, indeed, you're right, Canada should not have intervened in Parliament and said, we have some evidence that are very worrying about what some services of the government of India are doing. We should have said, there is an investigation, and we will stay mute about the investigation. Maybe so, but the government of India should have said, whatever the Government of Canada has said, I want to cooperate to make sure that if something wrong happened, we will go to the bottom of this issue. I think both of them should have been more willing to work together to solve this real problem when you have the life of someone that has been interrupted this way. But now our prime minister is saying, whatever the past, now we go ahead. That no other country will interfere in the other country. We want to work together and to succeed.

WION: What can India, Canada, and Prime Minister Carney do to make sure that we can rebuild the relationship on a much warmer footing?

Stéphane Dion: This visit will be key. I'm sure at the end of the visit, we'll have agreements. We will sign commitments. These commitments should not stay on paper. They should be true. So my advice to the two leaders, Modi and Carney, is to appoint men that would be responsible to the implementation of these agreements, and to say, a year after, we want to see the result, and you are accountable for it. Someone with a face, a name, someone responsible to make sure that all the ministries in Ottawa and in Delhi will make this argument coming true for The people, the people of India and Canada will benefit from it. Otherwise, it will be an agreement that we sign, and we have a beautiful ceremony. If you want the implementation of these agreements, appoint people responsible for it.

WION: The Khalistan issue? How big it is a worry for the Canadian government because it's a big worry for India.

Stéphane Dion: India should have no doubt that the Government of Canada is fully supporting the unity of India. As we know, the government of India is fully supporting the unity of Canada, there is no ambiguity. We support the United India as an ally and a friend.

WION: Do you think the diversification under Prime Minister Carney is coming because of Donald Trump?

Stéphane Dion: I have no doubt that the Prime Minister of Canada would have come in India, even if we had a different President of the United States at the White House of the United States. But the fact that we have President Trump, indeed, is a motivation for India and Canada to strengthen their relationships, because Canada will always need to have a positive relationship with the US, but we don't want to be too dependent of the US, and for that, we need to spread no relationship with Europe, with South America, with Africa, with Indo-Pacific and this great, the greatest, the biggest democracy of the world, India.