No Trade Talk With India Unless India Cooperates With Probe Into Najjar’s Death: Canadian Minister

Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng said Canada will not have trade talks with India unless the Narendra Modi government cooperates with the probe of pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Najjar’s murder, which happened in Vancouver in last June.

The Canadian minister made the remarks while talking on the sidelines of Asia-Pasific summit which happened at United States city of San Fransico on November 15, Wednesday. The remark was made as an answer to question, about whether the two countries will continue trade talks, from a reporter after the summit. She said the country’s focus is on letting “the works of investigation proceed”.

She said, “you have heard me and the government talk about how important it is that investigation happens given that we had a Canadian killed in Canadian soil”.

She said that despite the situation between the two countries, Canadian businessman continue to do business in India and as a Trade Minister, her job is to ensure the support and tools they needed are provided, said CBC News.

When quired about whether the cooperation into the investigation is necessary for the normalisation of ties between Canada and India, she answered “no” and added that, “our focus is of course on this investigation, that work has to take place. And for Canadian businesses, just to ensure them, because they expect that of their government, that the tools are available to them as they continue to do business and to invest and to make investments and attract investment” and added that the Canadian government’s support will continue.

The pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Najjar was shot dead outside a Sikh temple on June 18. After the G20 visit in September, Justin Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister accused Indian government officials’ involvement in Najjar’s death in the House of Commons. Indian government rejected the accusation as “absurd”.

Last Friday, US Secretary General Antony Blinken asked India to cooperate with the investigation on Najjar’s murder. He told reporters, “these are two of our closes friends and partners, and of course we want to see them resolving any difference or disputes that they have”.