Did Canada share classified intel on India with the US media? YES!
In a surprising revelation, two senior officials from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s government have admitted to leaking intelligence and sensitive information regarding India to the Washington Post. This admission comes in the wake of Canadian police alleging links between Indian government agents and the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Nathalie Drouin, Trudeau’s national security and intelligence adviser, informed a parliamentary panel that a high-ranking official in Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s administration was implicated in orchestrating attacks against Sikh separatists in Canada. Drouin asserted that she did not need Trudeau’s authorization to leak this information, insisting that no classified intelligence was shared with the newspaper on the eve of India withdrawing six diplomats amid escalating tensions.
Drouin described the leak as part of a “communications strategy” developed alongside Deputy Foreign Minister David Morrison, aimed at presenting Canada’s perspective during the diplomatic row. She stated, “We provided non-classified information on the actions we had taken to cooperate with India,” emphasizing the threats posed by alleged Indian activities against Canadian citizens.
The diplomatic rift intensified after Canada expelled six Indian diplomats on October 14, following public allegations from top Canadian law enforcement officials linking India to Nijjar’s murder. This followed a press conference where serious claims against India were made, prompting swift retaliatory actions from New Delhi.
The Washington Post reported on October 13 that India’s National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval, held a secret meeting with Canadian officials in Singapore, during which they presented evidence that India had used the Bishnoi gang to target Nijjar and other Sikh separatists. Drouin confirmed this meeting took place on September 12 and described India’s dismissal of the allegations presented.
In a tense parliamentary exchange, Conservative public safety critic Raquel Dancho criticized Drouin and Morrison for their decision to leak information to the media rather than inform the Canadian public directly. “It’s quite unfair to the Canadian public,” she stated, expressing concern over the selective sharing of information.
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme backed Drouin’s claim that the leaked information was not classified but refrained from public disclosure to protect ongoing investigations. This incident adds another layer to the already fraught diplomatic relationship between Canada and India, as both nations exchange serious accusations without presenting substantial evidence to support their claims.
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