Hyderabad: The Liberal party of Canada led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was widely expected to lose a parliamentary majority in the general elections held on 21 October. The results vindicated the opinion polls. The ruling party’s tally fell by 20 seats to 157 (out of 338) short of a simple majority. Though the Conservatives – the principal opposition party – secured more votes than the Liberals, they could muster just 121 seats, under a first-past-the-post electoral system, like that in India.
Yet few had anticipated that in the bargain, the country would see the emergence of an Indo-Canadian kingmaker who leads the leftist NDP (National Democratic Party) with 24 MPs. New Delhi should have been rejoicing but for a ‘minor’ detail that the concerned individual - Mr. Jagmeet Singh - is a vocal Khalistani sympathizer and a habitual India baiter. The forthcoming minority Trudeau government, dependent on NDP and / or Bloc Quebecois (the 3rd largest party), for issue-based outside support, thus does not augur well for India Canada ties.
If any two countries were meant to be the natural and close partners, arguably they were India and Canada. The synergies and commonalities between the two are striking - multi-ethnic, multicultural, robust democracies, English speaking, following rule of law, diasporic ties, complementary economies and educational linkages, to name just a few. However, providence appears to have willed it otherwise. Except for short periods of bonhomie, we have been at odds with each other.
It sounds incredulous, yet the fact remains that Mr. Narendra Modi, was the first Indian prime minister to visit Canada in April 2015 after a gap of 42 years. Lifting of the nuclear cloud, consequent to the painstaking conclusion of the bilateral civil nuclear cooperation agreement in 2010, enabled the landmark visit to materialize which was hugely successful in every regard. For the first time the Canadian government led by Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper publicly pledged to uphold the unity and integrity of India. It looked as if both sides had turned a new leaf in the ties.
The general election in October 2015 however, brought the youthful and telegenic Justin Trudeau to power with a thumping majority. PM Modi was one of the first leaders to make a congratulatory call and extend him a warm invitation to visit India. But, the popular new incumbent, who had lent his ear to Khalistani elements within his government and party, had other ideas.
Grateful for the wholehearted endorsement – financial, political and vocal - by the Sikh community in Canada, who refer to him as ‘Justin Singh’ he allocated heavy weight portfolios including that of Defence Minister to Mr. Harjit Singh Sajjan. He went all out to seal his Sikh vote bank, mostly controlled by the Khalistani elements, who provide the foot soldiers and generous donations to friendly politicians, during the electoral campaigns. They have managed to wrest administrative and financial control of many cash-rich Canadian Gurdwaras and are not bashful of using these resources to further their separatist agenda. The Canadian administrations have conveniently been looking the other way.
Historically the Sikhs in Canada have voted for the Liberal party in overwhelming numbers. During the Punjab problem in the 1970s and 1980s, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, father of Justin Trudeau, flung open Canadian doors for foreign nationals especially immigrants from Punjab. A large number of Sikhs migrated to Canada during this period, often claiming political persecution back home.