Days after Canadian PM Mark Carney’s India visit signified a complete thaw in Indo-Canadian relations, which had soured after former PM Justin Trudeau linking the killing of NIA-designated terrorist Hardip Nijjar to India, the commission of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has said that there is no threat to Canadian from any agent linked to India.
In an interview with CTV, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme said the dots do not connect to a foreign entity.
Duheme said, “Well, what I quoted in 2024 was based on the criminal investigation that we had at the time. The government official who made that quote, I’m not quite sure who briefed him. What I’m saying is that that particular file at that time, yes, I did say you had agents or proxies from the government. But what we’re seeing right now is transnational repression. The dots don’t always connect to a foreign entity.”
He further emphasised the seriousness with which the RCMP treats any clandestine operations or transnational repression, “We work closely with law enforcement from across the country to make sure that it’s a coordinated approach. But it’s important for people to report it. If it’s not reported, there’s little we can do. And I can appreciate sometimes that people are fearful of reporting it. But what I encourage people, if they see something, say something.”
Addressing concerns about public safety for South Asian communities following the return of Indian diplomats, Duheme stated, “We’re not seeing any connection right now with any foreign entity, based on the criminal information, the investigation that we have presently.”
He clarified, “What we have in our holdings is we have people that are intimidating people, harassing people, but connecting the dots to a foreign entity. We don’t have that.”
On the issue of the Bishnoi gang, which has been linked to extortion in cities like Surrey, Brampton, Calgary, Duheme noted the complexity of these cases.
“Not all extortion cases are linked directly to Bishnoi. I think you have people who use his name. We also have a national coordination centre for all the extortion to make sure that we are able to connect the dots.” He stressed that there are currently no confirmed links between the gang’s criminal activities and the Government of India.
This statement shows the impact of the easing of diplomatic tensions between India and Canada following a period of strained relations triggered by events in 2023. Both nations have worked consistently to normalise ties, culminating in Carney’s visit to India.
