PM Justin Trudeau appoints Dominic LeBlanc as Canada’s new Finance Minister
Canada's Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc was appointed as the new Finance Minister on Monday in a swearing-in ceremony held at the Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
Union External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has restated India’s official position regarding Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations connecting New Delhi to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Dr. Jaishankar emphasized that Indian government did not endorse such a policy, and urged Ottawa to provide concrete evidence to support its claims.
“We told the Canadians that this is not the government of India’s policy. Secondly, we said if you have something specific and if you have something relevant, let us know. We are open to looking at it…The picture is not complete without the context in a way,” stated Jaishankar during a discussion at the Council for Foreign Relations in New York.
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When questioned about the intelligence that prompted Trudeau’s allegations of a “extra judicial killing” by India, Dr. Jaishankar clarified that he lacked the authority to address such matters, as he is neither affiliated with the Five Eyes alliance nor the FBI.
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Also Read: US says ‘deeply concerned’ on Trudeau’s allegations over Nijjar killing
“I’m not part of The Five Eyes, I’m certainly not part of the FBI. So I think you’re asking the wrong person,” he remarked.
A prominent US envoy reported that intelligence agencies from Canada, the US, the UK, New Zealand, and Australia, collectively known as the Five Eyes consortium, shared information about Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing.
Also Read: Indian Students in Canada Face Uncertainty Amid India-Canada Tensions
Canadian PM Trudeau’s allegations significantly deteriorated diplomatic relations between India and Canada, which has seen strain for several months. Both nations expelled the heads of each other’s intelligence agencies. New Delhi also called on Ottawa to maintain diplomatic parity, citing interference in India’s internal affairs. India further suspended visa services for Canadian nationals due to security concerns at its High Commission and Consulate offices in Canada.
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