OTTAWA (TIP): Canada’s parliament on Tuesday, June 18, marked one-year death anniversary of Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar by holding a moment of silence in the House of Commons. Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by India‘s National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed outside a gurdwara in Surrey on June 18 last year. Tuesday marked the first anniversary of Nijjar’s death.

Ties between Canada and India became strained after Trudeau had in the House of Commons last year talked about “credible allegations” about a potential link between Indian agents and the killing of the Khalistani activist.

India has, however, dismissed the accusations as “absurd” and “motivated.” The video of his killing that reportedly surfaced in March this year showed Nijjar being shot by armed men.

In an interview to CBC News on Monday, on the eve of the anniversary of the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Trudeau said, “Now that he’s through his election, I think there is an opportunity for us to engage, including on some very serious issues around national security and keeping Canadians safe and the rule of law.” Trudeau’s remarks follow his meeting with Prime Minister Modi in Italy during the G7 Summit where India was invited as an Outreach country. PM Modi had tweeted a photograph of himself with the Canadian PM as they shook hands.

After the meeting in Italy, Trudeau told the Canada-based media channel, Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC) there are some “important but sensitive” issues that the two countries need to work on together. He did not share many details of what the two leaders discussed.

In his Monday interview to CBC News, Trudeau said, “I think one of the really good things about summits is you get an opportunity to engage directly with a huge range of different leaders with whom there are various issues,” Trudeau said, according to CBC News.

“And certainly, with India, there are massive people-to-people ties, there are really important economic ties, there’s alignment on a number of big issues that we need to work on as democracies, as a global community,” he said.
(With inputs from ANI)