India-Canada Row: On allegations surrounding the leak of India’s foreign interference, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s national security & intelligence advisor has reportedly confessed to leaking sensitive info to ‘The Washington Post,’ related to the Indian Government’s involvement in hostile activities in Canada.
According to reports, Nathalie Drouin and David Morrison, the deputy foreign affairs minister leaked the information alleging that Home Minister Amit Shah directed such actions from New Delhi.
Testimony Before The Commons Public Safety Committee
At the Commons public safety committee, Drouin said that she did not need authorization from Trudeau before leaking information. The Canadian official made it clear that no classified intelligence was shared with the US Newspaper before Ottawa expelled six Indian diplomats on Thanksgiving Day on October 13.
‘The Globe’ and ‘Mail’ disclosed that the leaked information involved Amit Shah and also linked the Indian government to the killing of Sikh activist Sukhdool Singh Gill, shot in Winnipeg on September 20, 2023. The matter came two days after Trudeau accused India of its role in the June 2023 gangland murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
On October 14, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme stated that “India was involved in the killing of three people, but he only identified the slaying of Nijjar. “
During his news conference, Commissioner Duheme said “Eight people have been charged with murder and 22 with extortion. Four Indian nationals have been charged in the killing of Nijjar outside a Sikh temple.”
‘Part Of A Communication Strategy,’ Says Drouin
Drouin said leaking of sensitive information was “part of a communications strategy” that she and Deputy Foreign Minister David Morrison came up with to ensure that a major US publication got Canada’s side of its continuing foreign interference dispute with India
Further, Drouin also affirmed that “the communications strategy was seen by the Prime Minister’s Office.”
“We provided non-classified information on the actions we had taken to cooperate with India and explain how the evidence showed links to the government of India conducting illegal activities against Canadians, including threats to their lives,” Drouin said
She also denied allegations that she released classified info to the Washington Post, and stated that “she provided a similar briefing to federal opposition leaders as she did with the Post.”
Opposition Camp Criticises Drouin’s Confession
However, Drouin’s admission about the leak was met with criticism from the opposition camp. Conservative party MP Raquel Dancho said, “Why the Prime Minister, his Foreign Affairs and Public Safety ministers, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) didn’t share this information with the public when the six Indian diplomats were expelled.”
In response to questions from Dancho, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme said he didn’t tell the public about what The Washington Post reported because the information could affect continuing criminal investigations.
“It is information as part of an investigation that normally we like to keep within but sometimes we do release some information,” Commissioner Duheme said. “I didn’t think at that point that it was relevant, that specific information, and again, I wasn’t part of the conversation with The Washington Post.”
As The Globe reported, the RCMP went to the government in late August to ask for an all-out effort to convince India to end its hostile foreign interference campaign.
Drouin said the RCMP asked to travel to New Delhi on Oct. 8 to present evidence but India “used an administrative technicality to block this meeting.” The RCMP then traveled to Washington on Oct. 10, but “while an India officer confirmed the meeting, they never showed up.”
Earlier this month, India recalled six diplomats from Canada after they were declared “persons of interest” by the Candian government, in the investigation into the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Probe Underway
Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is currently investigating six cases involving designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu. Pannun is an India-designated terrorist who holds American and Canadian citizenship.
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