Canadian political leaders doing best to mess up relations with India

[MarkOttawa]

Conservative leader Erin O'Toole did his best not to be out-pandered by PM Trudeau with Canadian Sikhs:
‘India responds to Trudeau’s ‘ill-informed’ remarks

India has denounced Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “ill-informed” remarks regarding an ongoing farmers’ protest in India’s capital.

Mr Trudeau and Conservative opposition leader Erin O’Toole both made comments this week expressing concern over India’s response to the demonstrations.

“Canada will always be there to defend the right of peaceful protest,” Mr Trudeau said on Monday [Nov 30]…

Mr Trudeau’s remarks were echoed by Conservative party leader Erin O’Toole, who called the right to peacefully protest “fundamental” to democracy…’
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55152462

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh noted at this Indian story:

Canadian leadership’s comments on farmers protest “ill-informed”: MEA Spokesperson
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/canadian-leaderships-comments-on-farmers-protest-ill-informed-mea-spokesperson/article33221314.ece

And lots more Indian reaction here:

'Take Care of Your Own Country': Indian Trolls Target Justin Trudeau for Supporting Farmer Protests
https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/take-care-of-your-own-country-indian-trolls-target-justin-trudeau-for-supporting-farmer-protests-3133511.html

And a video of the PM speaking to Sikhs Nov. 30:
https://youtu.be/l2AcsYUb-S8

After the dreadful, embarrassing Justin Trudeau visit to India in 2018 I'd say relations with India are effectively deep-sixed. Meanwhile this government is still over-timid with the PRC. Go figure.

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Remius]

Only this time it seems to be several other leaders doing it as well.

I wonder how much of this has to do with the domestic audience here.

 

[MarkOttawa]

The rest of the world will take note (to the extent we are now noted at all) that this is how Canada conducts diplomacy towards a major, and not unfriendly per se, country. And they will write us off all the more as a country whose efforts to commit foreign policy should be given any serious attention. Pushing up daisies around the world. Defunct. Said with regret as a one-time Canadian foreign service officer. 

The active diasporas aside, we are an increasingly solipsistic polity (nation does not fit save for Québec).

Mark
Ottawa

 

[MarkOttawa]

India bites back hard, this is the way one addresses a hostile power in diplomacy:

India formally protests to Canada over Trudeau remarks on farm protests

India summoned Canada’s ambassador [high commissioner in fact] on Friday [Dec. 4] and said comments made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over protests by farmers near Delhi were an interference in its domestic affairs and would seriously hurt bilateral ties.

Trudeau, speaking to the Indian community in Canada, said this week that he was concerned about the farmers, most of them from the Sikh-dominated Indian state of Punjab, camped out on the outskirts of Delhi in a protest against farm reforms.

The Indian foreign ministry said in a statement that comments on “issues relating to Indian farmers constitute an unacceptable interference in our internal affairs.”

India and Canada have warm ties, but in recent years there has been concern in India that some Sikh leaders in Canada have ties to separatist groups hostile to India.

Canada is home to an influential Sikh community and Indian leaders say there are some fringe groups there that are still sympathetic to the cause of an independent Sikh state called Khalistan, carved out of India.

The Indian foreign ministry said comments made by Trudeau and other leaders had emboldened radical groups and they were a risk to its diplomatic staff based in Canada.

“We expect the Canadian Government to ensure the fullest security of Indian diplomatic personnel and its political leaders to refrain from pronouncements that legitimize extremist activism,” it said…
https://www.reuters.com/article/somnia-idUSKBN28E1A7

And two tweets:

Two tweets:

1) https://twitter.com/suhasinih/status/1334788872681635841

Suhasini Haidar
@suhasinih
In the last few months,MEA has issued strong demarches to Canada,Turkey, and several to Pakistan on "interference in India's internal affairs". Chinese Ambassador was summoned over data surveillance reports in September.

She's National Editor and Diplomatic Affairs Editor, The Hindu--1.3 million followers.

2) https://twitter.com/srdjanvucetic/status/1334880675355353090

Srdjan Vucetic
@srdjanvucetic
India's axis of evil now includes Canada

Professor at Ottawa U. who knows India.

Of course India under PM Modi's BJP has increasing nasty aspects:

Should Canada try to forge closer ties with India? Experts are raising red flags. Here’s why

With China and Canada diplomatic tensions remaining high, some analysts have argued that it’s time for Canada to forge ties with India, since the populous country could prove a strong democratic ally. But other experts say Ottawa cannot ignore the rise of Hindu nationalism — and the steep decline of civil rights in the country.

“The Canadian public is ignorant about what’s happening in India. Ottawa hasn’t spoken out for people who are oppressed in India, while hate speech and harassment has been allowed to spread freely (from India) to target academics like me,” said Chinnaiah Jangam, a historian of modern South Asia at Carleton University.

However, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did speak out against the treatment of protesting farmers in India by police at an online forum on Monday. “Canada will always be there to defend the right of peaceful protest,” he said.

The protests against new agricultural laws have lasted nearly two months in India but gained national attention recently when thousands of farmers clashed with police who used tear gas, water cannons and baton charges against them as they tried to enter India’s capital, New Delhi.

Under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has pushed for laws and policies that have the potential to render millions of Muslims living in India stateless. The government also imposed a military clampdown on part of the majority Muslim region of Kashmir, arresting thousands of dissidents and local leaders...
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2020/12/04/should-canada-try-to-forge-closer-ties-with-india-experts-are-raising-red-flags-heres-why.html

Mark
Ottawa

 

[MarkOttawa]

India bites back hard, this is the way one addresses a hostile power in diplomacy:

India formally protests to Canada over Trudeau remarks on farm protests
...
Mark
Ottawa

And what the PM says about it all--at morning show, when asked about India's strong response to his video supporting Farm Laws protests and implicitly Sikhs, just said Canada always supports right to peaceful protest. So, what about Kashmir? Oh, right, no powerful voting bloc here, no cabinet ministers. Sigh. A story:

Trudeau brushes off India's criticism for standing with farmers in anti-Modi protests

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rejected the diplomatic scolding Canada's envoy to India received on Friday for his recent comments in support of protesting Indian farmers.

Trudeau was asked Friday about India's decision to call Canada's high commissioner on the carpet at the foreign ministry in New Delhi over remarks the prime minister offered in support of Indian farmers earlier this week.

Trudeau said previously that he was concerned about the protests in India and that Canada would always support the right of farmers to be heard -- remarks the Indian government now says amount to interference in its affairs and potentially damaging to its relations with Canada.

"Canada will always stand up for the right of peaceful protest anywhere around the world. And we're pleased to see moves towards de-escalation and dialogue," Trudeau said Friday when asked about India's criticism of his remarks...
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/trudeau-brushes-off-india-s-criticism-for-standing-with-farmers-in-anti-modi-protests-1.5217584

Mark
Ottawa

 

[CBH99]

Politicians being politicians.

Pathetic.  Shallow.  Transparent.  And somewhat predictable.


As irritating as it is to always be let down by the seemingly ignorant & arrogant behaviour of most of our politicians (not all, some are quite down to earth & seem to have genuine interest in issues) - we also shouldn't be surprised anymore.  Especially with the age range of most of us on this forum.


Votes & public image = we care

No votes, or doesn't help improve public image = we don't care


It is what it is    :2c:

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Coaching the language carefully to support a friendly nation and the rights within democracy and to pander gently to voters here, takes more skill than the average political hack has these days.

 

[Weinie]

Perhaps the answer lies below. When you make up less than 1.5% of the population, yet comprise more than 10% of your parties seats in a minority, it is little wonder that the apparatchiks pander listen to your opinion.

https://theprint.in/theprint-essential/sikhs-so-powerful-in-canada-its-not-about-numbers/314036/