In a significant development concerning Canada-India relations, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s national security and intelligence adviser has confirmed the unauthorized leak of sensitive information to The Washington Post. Nathalie Drouin, alongside David Morrison, deputy minister of foreign affairs, revealed that the information implicated India’s Home Affairs Minister, Amit Shah, in allegedly orchestrating hostile activities against Canada.
During her testimony before the Commons public safety committee, Drouin clarified that she acted without Trudeau’s authorization and emphasized that no classified intelligence was disclosed to The Washington Post.
This disclosure came just one day before India recalled six diplomats amid escalating tensions over accusations of interference on Canadian soil.
The Globe and Mail reported that the leaked information connected Shah not only to general hostilities but also to the recent murder of Sikh activist Sukhdool Singh Gill in Winnipeg.
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Gill was shot on September 20, 2023, just two days after Justin Trudeau publicly alleged India’s involvement in the June 2023 gangland murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia.
‘Evidence suggests India’s involvement’
Although no charges have been made in Gill’s case, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme highlighted that evidence suggests India’s involvement in multiple killings, though only Nijjar’s name has been officially cited.
Drouin stated that the decision to leak information was part of a strategy she and Morrison developed to ensure that a major US outlet accurately reported Canada’s position in the growing foreign-interference dispute with India. She confirmed that this strategy had been reviewed by the Prime Minister’s Office.
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“We provided non-classified information on our actions and the evidence linking the Indian government to illegal activities targeting Canadians, including life-threatening threats,” Drouin testified, noting that similar briefings had also been shared with Canadian opposition leaders.
‘Canadians wouldn’t know unless…’
In response to a question from Conservative public safety critic Raquel Dancho about why Canadians learned of the allegations from The Washington Post first, Morrison explained that he confirmed Shah’s name after it was mentioned by a journalist from the outlet. Dancho criticized the situation, stating, “Canadians wouldn’t know unless they were able to read The Washington Post. I find it unfair that details were released to them but not provided to Canadians.”
Duheme defended the decision not to publicly release the information, citing concerns over ongoing investigations. “It’s investigative material we typically keep internal,” he remarked, adding that the information shared with The Washington Post did not fall under the classification of Canada’s national security standards.
India-Canada tensions
In a broader context, earlier this month, India’s Ministry of External Affairs condemned Canada’s allegations, describing them as “preposterous imputations” regarding Indian diplomats’ involvement in the Nijjar case and warned of potential repercussions. India has since expelled six Canadian diplomats and recalled its High Commissioner to Canada amid security concerns.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reiterated India’s position, stating, “On our side we have reasoned with the Canadian system saying ‘look don’t go down this extremist path.’” He expressed dissatisfaction with how the Canadian government had handled the situation, emphasizing the need for a more rational dialogue between the two nations.