Liberal MPs voice concerns to Carney over G7 invite to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi

OTTAWA — A Liberal MP says he met with Prime Minister Mark Carney to raise concerns about the decision to invite India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada to attend the upcoming G7 summit.  Sukh Dhaliwal represents the Surrey, B.C. riding, where prominent Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot outside of a temple in June 2023, a killing that Canada has linked to agents acting on behalf of the Indian government.  India has denied any involvement in Nijjar’s death. Four Indian nationals have been charged in the killing. Since Modi confirmed last week that he would be attending next week’s G7 meeting in Alberta at Canada’s invitation, Dhaliwal said he’s heard from many concerned constituents and confirmed to reporters that he raised them directly with the prime minister on Wednesday.  “We expressed to him what our constituents are saying, and he knows the issue very well, and he’s very strong and alarmed on this,” Dhaliwal told reporters on his way into the Liberals’ weekly caucus meeting.  Gurbux Saini, the Liberal MP for the riding of Fleetwood—Port Kells, said he also raised the issue with the prime minister and said he disagrees with the decision to invite Modi.  “It’s not a Hindu-Sikh issue,” Saini told reporters. “It’s a Canadian issue.” Saini cited statements made by the RCMP that it has evidence showing India’s government to be involved in violent crime unfolding in Canada, from murders to intimidation by criminal gangs towards the South Asian community. “India has to be accountable,” Saini said. “They have to give assurance that they are going to cooperate with our agencies.” He suggested that not only was the invitation to Modi damaging to Canada’s reputation, but that he was also concerned about a report that Canada had extended an invitation to the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman.  Human rights groups like Amnesty International about what they say has been the erosion of human rights under his leadership. “It is a damaging thing, because Canadians are known in the world as caring and compassionate and people who love human rights.” Carney’s office confirmed he and the crown prince recently spoke on “deepening bilateral trade” and discussed other issues, including energy security and the need for peace in the Middle East. Last week, Carney defended his decision to invite Modi to next week’s G7 meeting by saying that he did so as chair of the leaders’ group and that it was important for India to be at the table for discussions on trade and security, given it plays a central role in supply chains as well as boasts the world’s fifth-largest economy and largest population. Sikh groups have nevertheless denounced Modi’s invitation and plan to meet with MPs later on Wednesday to press them to speak up. Earlier this week, a coalition of Sikh Canadian organizations wrote to MPs from the Liberals and Conservatives whose ridings have sizeable Sikh populations, asking them to reject the invitation. In a statement posted to X on Monday, Randeep Sarai, who serves as the secretary of state for international development, responded to some of those concerns. “As a proud Sikh Canadian and Member of Parliament, I hear the concerns many of you are expressing regarding India’s participation at the G7.” “Let me be clear: the safety and security of Canadians is, and always will be, our top priority.” International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu told reporters on Wednesday he has heard “concerns about invitations to leaders,” but defended the need to bring together different leaders to sort through economic issues, given the uncertainty caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s global tariffs. “We need to be able to collaborate and, of course, work out some issues.” Ontario Liberal MP and former cabinet minister Karina Gould said she understands why, in a time of economic uncertainty and the need to diversity trade, it was important to have both India and Saudi Arabia around the table. “But that being said, as Canada, you know, we also have certain values that are important to us, when it comes to human rights.” National Post staylor@postmedia.com Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what’s really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here.

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