Threat to Democracy: Canada calls India 2nd largest foreign threat after China
Ottawa: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has termed India second largest foreign threat to democracy and responded to this development by emphasizing his government’s grave concern regarding foreign interference.
The Kashmir Media Service reported that the Canadian Premier in a statement revealed that India would be second largest threat to democracy in Canada. Recent findings from a high-level Canadian parliamentary committee have placed India as the “second biggest foreign threat” to Canada’s democracy, following China.
Canada’s National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP), comprising members with top security clearances from both the House of Commons and the Senate, unveiled the report during a period of strained India-Canada relations.
The release of this report coincides with heightened tensions between the two nations, worsened by Trudeau’s prior allegations accusing Indian government agents of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. New Delhi promptly dismissed these accusations as baseless, as mentioned in the report.
The report alleges, “India has become the second-most significant foreign interference threat to Canada’s democratic institutions and processes, displacing Russia. India’s foreign interference efforts have gradually expanded beyond countering pro-Khalistan elements in Canada. These efforts include intervention in Canadian democratic systems and institutions, including targeting Canadian politicians, ethnic media, and the Indo-Canadian ethno cultural communities.” Within its 84 pages, the report makes 44 references to India
Indian officials have not yet responded to these allegations. Previously, New Delhi has refuted similar claims, accusing Canadian officials of meddling in Indian affairs and harboring extremist elements, including those linked to the Khalistani movement.
The NSICOP report suggests that certain Canadian Members of Parliament might have been influenced by foreign powers, engaging in inappropriate communication with foreign missions, attempting to sway colleagues improperly, and sharing confidential information with foreign diplomats.
Furthermore, as outlined in the report, some MPs may have received financial support from foreign entities or their representatives.
The report identifies China as the primary actor in foreign interference, highlighting the nation as the “most prolific” in such activities. The strategies employed by China aim at bolstering the legitimacy and stability of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the report asserts.
The report asserts, “In its efforts to safeguard and reinforce the CCP’s legitimacy and stability both domestically and internationally, China utilizes a comprehensive strategy to target and leverage almost all facets of Canada’s democratic procedures and institutions to advance its strategic interests.”
