Debates of Sept. 19th, 2023

Allegations Against Government of India

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I would just remind members not to call anyone names and also be careful about underlining whether someone is here or not here.

The hon. member for Rivière-du-Nord.

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Chair, I hope that what I am about to say will not surprise my esteemed colleague, for whom I have a great deal of respect. No, Mr. Harper did not call me.

I understand his questions. I have the same questions. As I said earlier, this raises a number of questions. Who governs this country? I tell my constituents that if they want reassurance, they have to make sure they have Bloc Québécois members in Ottawa. Without us, no one can say that everything is fine.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, I have a question for my colleague and friend from Rivière-du-Nord.

The matter is clear. We now understand that the victim of this terrible murder, Mr. Nijjar, had been warned by police and by CSIS that he was being threatened and was not safe.

I am going to say this in English. It is late.

I am very troubled that our security forces and the RCMP were unable to keep Mr. Nijjar safe. As to this aspect, I wonder if my friend from Rivière-du-Nord has any thoughts or comments. It strikes me as a failure of our security services, and I wonder if he feels the same.

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Chair, I thank my Green Party colleague, who always does excellent work and who is remarkably sensitive and diplomatic.

I understand her questions. I am asking myself the same things. Why were authorities unable to keep Mr. Nijjar safe? If I understood correctly, he was given information at one point, but that does not seem like much in terms of ensuring his safety. Over the past few years, incidents have occurred on the Hill that have led us to question what we need to do to keep parliamentarians safe.

People are also wondering how to keep cultural communities across Canada safe. I think that some serious work needs to be done. I have been here for eight years, and we have been talking about the problems with the justice system for eight years. We talked about it again recently. The government has been unable to appoint judges, so trials get dropped because the judges who are there do not have time to conduct them. We are not keeping the public safe. As I said before, unfortunately, I think things are looking pretty grim in Canada.

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC]

Mr. Chair, my colleague always fights for justice and human rights. We work together on the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

I was deeply interested in his speech. He mentioned that members of the diaspora are truly worried about what is happening. These people often have to flee violence in their country of origin. What more does he think we can do to help members of the diaspora feel safer?

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Chair, I will be brief and tell my colleague that we will never form government. Unfortunately, I cannot tell her how to go about that. She is a member of the Liberal Party. I suggest she discuss it with her Prime Minister, party officials and cabinet. That is where the answer is. They are the ones in charge.

She and I are condemning the same events. However, all I can do is speak out against them and condemn them. I hope that she is in a position to intervene. I also have a great deal of respect for her, especially for the work we did together on the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. I trust her.

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member of Parliament for Brampton North.

The announcement by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons regarding the credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen are deeply troubling. All Canadians deserve to feel safe in their communities, and that is the highest priority of our government.

As the Prime Minister described, our top priorities at this time are that our law enforcement and security agencies ensure the continued safety of all Canadians, and that all steps be taken to hold the perpetrators of this murder to account.

I am thankful for the opportunity to address the recent allegations surrounding the death of the Sikh community leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, particularly in relation to the RCMP's involvement in this investigation.

Mr. Nijjar was a husband, a father, a businessman and a community leader. Only weeks before his assassination, he was at UBC attending his son's graduation, where I saw him with his family. He was smiling, as a proud father would seeing their son earn such a prestigious degree.

On Sunday, June 18, it was Father's Day. After spending time with his family, he did what he would do every evening, which was to go to Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara and serve the congregation, not only as the president, but also in physically helping to build the new hall adjacent to the gurdwara. As he was leaving the gurdwara, Mr. Nijjar was shot and killed in cold blood in Surrey, British Columbia.

The community was shocked, and they wanted answers. Concerned MPs immediately met with the then minister of public safety. They were assured that no stone would be left unturned, and that the law enforcement agencies would investigate this with full resources at its disposal.

Yesterday, when Prime Minister Trudeau announced that there are credible allegations linking agents of the—

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Members need to remember that we can only call other members by titles or riding names, so maybe the parliamentary secretary could back up in his speech a bit.

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

Mr. Chair, yesterday, the Prime Minister announced that there are credible allegations linking agents of the government of India to this killing. The RCMP continues to investigate this murder. Investigators are working diligently to gather information and evidence to bring justice to Mr. Nijjar and his family.

To ensure the integrity of the RCMP investigation and those involved, I am not in a position to discuss specifics. Those responsible will be held to account.

The implications of foreign actors actively pursuing targets in Canada poses a significant threat to Canadian sovereignty and the safety of our citizens. It is of great concern. Any involvement by a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of Canadian sovereignty. India's involvement in the extraterritorial killing of a Canadian on Canadian soil will not be tolerated.

We are engaging with our Indian counterparts at many levels on this issue and expect their full co-operation in ensuring both that those responsible for this egregious act face consequences and that this never happens again. Given the seriousness of the situation, we have also engaged with our closest allies on this matter.

I know that many Canadians, particularly members of Canada's Indian diaspora community, are feeling angry and perhaps frightened right now. Rest assured that Canada is a country governed by the rule of law, and Canadian law enforcement authorities will take all necessary steps to hold perpetrators to account. CSIS, the RCMP and the broader security and intelligence community are working closely with other government departments, international partners and local police forces to ensure the safety and security of Canadians at home and abroad.

As the member of Parliament for Surrey Centre, I will continue to engage with Canadian communities to hear their concerns and work with them to foster trust and open communication channels. Public safety remains a top priority for our government.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Chair, I would like to first congratulate my colleague on his new appointment as parliamentary secretary. I also want to thank him for bringing forward a more personal story and perspective on Mr. Nijjar. That is very important.

Tonight we have talked a lot about how shocking it is that a Canadian citizen was killed on Canadian soil. I know that the member has been on the foreign affairs committee and has a strong understanding of the human rights abuses that are taking place under the Modi government in India right now.

I wonder if the member could speak a bit about what Canada could do, how Canada could respond to some of those human rights abuses that are happening outside of Canada, in India, at the moment?

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

Mr. Chair, the member for Edmonton Strathcona has been a big champion of human rights, wherever they may be.

This is something that comes to me as the member of Parliament for Surrey Centre, a very diverse riding, where I hear complaints from Dalits or those who have been subjugated in very inappropriate ways in India, who have faced human rights violations. Christians and Christian minorities, particularly, have been facing gross violations. A lot of tribal people in some of the more rural areas have faced similar fates. Muslims in many parts of India have faced great atrocities and challenges. Women all over the country have faced those challenges.

Canada's role is to always make that a priority whenever it deals with foreign affairs matters. We need like-minded allies to also support that. When the world speaks as one voice, I think people have to listen. Canada, which touts being a democracy, should be answerable to other democracies around the world and should uphold those rights. That is how we will get that done, just like members of Parliament in this House today have shown unity, especially the NDP and the Bloc, in condemning this action by the Indian government.

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations]

Mr. Chair, the Prime Minister's statement yesterday has really shaken many young people. I have been speaking to many young people with South Asian backgrounds and it is very troubling to see how hurt they are today.

Can you maybe give a sense to young people, especially those who may be watching, of what they should be doing or how they can overcome some of the challenges they may be facing today or some of the questions they may have today that really shatter who they are? With something like this happening in a place like Canada, how can they feel safe, how do we make sure they are protected and that they can feel very much at home in their country?

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I would remind the member to speak through the Chair.

The hon. member for Surrey Centre.

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

Mr. Chair, the question was very poignant. Growing up in this country, we have heard many others speak in the same way. It was very troubling when we heard accounts of events that usually happened in other countries, perhaps in India and abroad. For many Canadians, especially those in the South Asian diaspora, it was their worst nightmare to find out that while speaking here, they could be targeted. To them I say they can rest assured that this country has their backs. This country will not sell them out for a trade deal. This country, this Prime Minister and this government will ensure that their rights are protected and we will voice that in all accounts. It was an unprecedented statement that the Prime Minister made, which assures a lot of those young people.

The second thing I would like to say is that they need to show that they are better, that they have communal harmony here regardless of their faith. They can be from the Indian diaspora. They can be a Sikh, a Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim. We all get along very well. If people come to Surrey, they will see our places of worship, where people commingle. Members of all communities come and go. We should maintain that integrity and decorum. We should maintain that Canada is a beautiful, diverse, multicultural country and no one should ever tamper with that.

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Brampton North, ON]

Mr. Chair, I am thankful for the opportunity to address the issue that was brought to light in this very House yesterday. It is the issue of credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of Mr. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen murdered on Canadian soil. This is an unacceptable violation of sovereignty and international law. I want to provide my sincerest condolences to Mr. Nijjar's family and friends and the Sikh community at large.

The Prime Minister brought this issue to light because our government remains committed to combatting foreign interference and to protecting Canadians and communities targeted by foreign state actors. We are taking leadership in safeguarding our democratic institutions and protecting our sovereignty. This will never change.

The RCMP and our security agencies are aware of foreign interference in Canada and are leveraging all tools at their disposal. We are also working closely with our democratic international partners and will continue to share as much information as possible with Canadians.

It is within the RCMP's mandate to investigate criminal or illegal activities occurring in Canada that are found to be backed by a foreign state actor, and it currently has over 100 investigations looking into foreign interference activities. The Government of Canada is aware that certain foreign governments have attempted to threaten and intimidate individuals in Canada or their relatives abroad. We take this issue very seriously, and we look forward to the expanded mandate given to the public inquiry led by Justice Hogue exploring this issue more in depth, despite the Conservatives only wanting the focus to be on China. Seeing their absence in the House for this debate tonight and the Conservative—

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

The hon. member, being deputy whip, should know that we cannot say whether a member is in the chamber or not in the chamber.

The hon. member for Brampton North can maybe back that up and continue.

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Brampton North, ON]

Mr. Chair, you are right, but it does sadden me to hear the silence in this chamber from Conservative voices tonight and the walking back of their leader's statement this morning.

This past year, we have been talking a lot about foreign interference, the safety of Canadians and the integrity of our institutions. It is unfortunate that we do not have a partner in the Conservative Party when it comes to making sure that all Canadians are safe and that we are looking into the actions of all foreign governments.

Since coming into office, our government has taken robust action to safeguard our democracy and institutions against foreign interference by investing in the RCMP to better protect Canadians from harassment and intimidation, increasing its investigative capacity and more proactively engaging with communities at risk of being targeted. We are creating a foreign agents registry, and through Public Safety Canada we are also establishing a national counter-foreign interference office to coordinate our efforts.

Members can rest assured that where there is evidence of state-backed harassment or intimidation, CSIS and the RCMP apply the full measures of their mandates to investigate these threats. I will also reiterate that if a member of the public suspects criminal foreign interference activities that do not pose an immediate threat to life, they should report them to the RCMP or CSIS through phone and online reporting channels, including the national security information network web portal. The Government of Canada is working diligently every day to keep Canadians safe using the full extent of our national security and intelligence agencies.

Finally, I know that many Canadians, especially those of Indo-Canadian descent, are feeling deeply concerned over the revelations that were brought to light yesterday. I have received many calls from people in my riding of Brampton North, and I have been saddened to hear from so many that they are not surprised, as they have long suspected and feared the reach of the Indian government outside of its borders.

This is a sad reality, but our government has made it clear that we will not tolerate it, and our top priority will continue to be the safety of Canadians and that all steps be taken by law enforcement to hold the perpetrators to account. This news should not in any way be seen as an attack against one community or an endorsement of another. We must all work together and call for justice. We call on the Indian government to co-operate with the investigation so that we can have further transparency and so that justice can be served.

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

Mr. Chair, because the hon. member is a deputy whip, I want her to explain why, if every party had the same number of spots to speak today on this debate, some parties are not speaking. Is it their will or that of others?

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Brampton North, ON]

Mr. Chair, this is an interesting question. I think I am maybe at liberty to speak to it. As far as I was aware, all members originally were participating in the House. Perhaps there has been a sudden change of heart. I do not know why that is.

There were a few other things I wanted to say, especially to Canadians who are watching today. I want to remind them they are a peace-loving people and I want to remind them to stay calm and steadfast in our commitment to diversity, religious freedom, democracy and the rule of law. That is so important as we have this conversation and as events continue to unfold in the coming weeks and months.

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Chair, I know a lot of us, and I mentioned this before, have probably been reaching out to those in our community who are greatly impacted by this, members of the Sikh community.

I was having a conversation tonight, and one of the community members asked me, “What will it take for us to be considered as first-class citizens in this country?” It really just broke my heart, and I did not know what to say to him. I said it is about solidarity. It is about that non-partisan coming together and speaking out against what we know is wrong.

As a member of the government, could she speak to my constituents as well on how we are all working together, for the most part, to do just that and to make their lives safer and better, as much as we can?

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Brampton North, ON]

Mr. Chair, it is something that, being born and raised here in Canada myself, I have struggled with. I know many around me have, and there are many in our caucus who have shared these types of sentiments. It is unfortunate, and it saddens me greatly to hear that even today there are members of our Canadian society who feel they are looked upon as less than. I want to say to them that they are Canadian and that this government will always stand for their rights and their freedoms in this country, and their right to be treated as an equal Canadian, as all others.

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Chair, leading into the summer, the member and I both sat on the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. I chaired it, and the member participated in it, and she participated for a lot more hours than we had planned, because the official opposition wanted to keep meeting and having meetings on foreign election interference. It was a really important topic.

In the riding of Waterloo, where I am really proud to serve my constituents, for the most part there is a lot of confidence in the independent judicial system. They know that politicians, elected officials, have roles to play, but so do our security agencies, the judicial process and police organizations. The list goes on.

I would like to hear from the member as to what is taking place right now. What is the importance of the Prime Minister's speaking yesterday, and who are the right authorities to ensure the situation is dealt with in a way that anyone who needs to be held to account is held to account and that justice is served for the loss of this individual?

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Brampton North, ON]

Mr. Chair, the member for Waterloo is definitely an excellent Chair of the procedure and House affairs committee. She has led that committee through many challenges we as members face and that Canadians look to us to overcome.

Within that committee, we talked quite a lot about this issue. We had witnesses appear before committee who told us there are many actors involved in foreign interference in Canada and that those include countries like Iran, China, Russia and others. They stated “and others” many times, and I pressed those witnesses to explain which other countries those were. In our deliberations, we constantly came back to China being the only concern that particularly the Conservative Party had, but now it goes to show we must be concerned about all foreign state actors in order to protect all Canadians and to protect our institutions to the greatest extent possible.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, it is an honour to rise in this place virtually to join the debate. I want to start by thanking members for the opportunity to have this speech but also to say that I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Edmonton Griesbach.

Canadians from coast to coast to coast are grappling with something deeply shocking. It was only yesterday that the Prime Minister stood in this place. I was, as I think all of us were, completely astonished with what he said and the implications of what he said for rule of law and for the notion, which we have been grappling within this place since the spring, of foreign interference, initially in our electoral process but now also the alleged foreign interference by governments in the most deeply alarming and troubling violation of sovereignty and of decency and morality.

We really do lack for words, which is rare in this place. However, I do want to be mindful that the Prime Minister chose his words carefully and so will I. We do not yet have facts that say that the state of India was involved directly in the killing of a Canadian. The Prime Minister said, “Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.” I want to stay with those words and try to keep my remarks within the bounds of what the Prime Minister has told us we know and we can talk about, and not assume that we have all the facts because we do not.

However, I do want to say how deeply we wish to share our condolences and sympathies with the family of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. It is clear now his son has been talking with the media. Not only was his father warned that his life might be at risk, but a recent media story says he met regularly with—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

I apologize to the hon. member. We lost sound, but we can hear the member now.