NEW DELHI: Canadian officials reportedly leaked information about India’s alleged foreign interference to The Washington Post. This information was not shared with the Canadian public, as reported by The Globe and Mail.
Trudeau‘s national security and intelligence adviser, Nathalie Drouin, told the Commons public safety committee that she leaked sensitive details to The Washington Post without Trudeau’s authorisation but maintained that no classified intelligence was shared. This occurred just before Canada expelled six Indian diplomats on October 13.
Tensions between Canada and India have been high, especially after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of being involved in the murder of a Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Drouin explained that the leak was part of a ‘communications strategy’ with deputy foreign minister David Morrison to ensure a major US publication presented Canada’s stance on the foreign interference issue. Drouin added, “the communications strategy was seen by the Prime Minister’s Office.”
“We provided non-classified information on the actions we had taken to cooperate with India and explain how the evidence showed links to the government of India conducting illegal activities against Canadians, including threats to their lives,” Drouin said. She also affirmed that similar briefings were given to federal opposition leaders.
Criticising the leak, Conservative party MP Raquel Dancho questioned why the information was not shared with the Canadian public and said, “In fact, Canadians wouldn’t know unless they were able to read The Washington Post. I just find it quite unfair to the Canadian public that details were released in advance to The Washington Post but not provided to Canada.”
On October 14, RCMP commissioner Mike Duheme had said, “India was involved in the killing of three people, but he only identified the slaying of Nijjar.” Duheme also mentioned that “eight people have been charged with murder and 22 with extortion. Four Indian nationals have been charged in the killing of Nijjar outside a Sikh temple.”
Duheme responded to these concerns by saying that the information could impact ongoing criminal investigations, stating, “It is information as part of an investigation that normally we like to keep within but sometimes we do release some information.”
India and Canada have faced ongoing diplomatic issues, including the recent recall of six Indian diplomats by India after Canada declared them “persons of interest” in the investigation of Nijjar murder.
Trudeau’s allegations in the Canadian Parliament last year about India’s involvement in Nijjar’s killing have been firmly denied by India, which has described the accusations as ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated.’
NIA in India is currently investigating six cases involving designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, who holds American and Canadian citizenship.