How Khalistani factor played its part in Justin Trudeau’s resignation

Currently, Canada is preparing for an election this year, and the Liberal Party faces a potential defeat against Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party. According to polls, the Liberals are in a very dangerous position in terms of vote loss.

Relations with the United States have become strained over time as most recently, President-elect Donald Trump once recommended Canada join the union and become the 51st state with Trudeau as its governor. Other allies also profiled as adversaries include India, where relations have deteriorated sharply, for instance, following Trudeau’s allegations that New Delhi was involved in the murder of anti-Khalistani militant Hardeep Singh Nijjar – an accusation the Indian government dismissed as unfounded.

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Trudeau’s ties with Sikh diaspora and Khalistani leaders under scrutiny

Notably, During Diwali celebrations at Ottawa’s Parliament Hill, Trudeau openly acknowledged the Khalistan movement’s presence in Canada. “There are many supporters of ‘Khalistan’ in Canada, but they do not represent the Sikh community as a whole. There are supporters of the Modi government in Canada, but they do not represent all Hindu Canadians as a whole,” he said.

The Sikh community, which forms more than 2% of Canada’s population and numbered approximately 800,000 in 2022, plays a significant role in shaping political outcomes, particularly in areas like Greater Toronto and Vancouver. Trudeau’s government maintained close ties with sections of Canada’s Sikh diaspora, including prominent pro-Khalistani leaders like Jagmeet Singh of the New Democratic Party (NDP).

However, Khalistani leaders have criticized Trudeau for not advocating their cause strongly enough on international platforms. “Justin Trudeau failed in the biggest job a Prime Minister has: to work for people, not the powerful. The NDP will vote to bring this government down and give Canadians a chance to vote for a government that will work for them,” Singh wrote in an open letter.

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Earlier, a former Sikh cabinet minister in the Canadian government, Ujjal Dosanjh, called the ex-Canada prez an “idiot”, and said he is the one who “emboldened the Khalistani extremists and created fear among Sikhs in Canada with a moderate outlook.”