RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says based on the information before him, there are no longer clandestine activities or transnational repression taking place in Canada that is linked to the government of India.
“In the files that we have that involve transnational repression, we’re not seeing any connection right now with any foreign entity, based on the criminal information, the investigations that we have presently,” Duheme told CTV Question Period host Vassy Kapelos in an exclusive interview airing Sunday, when asked several times whether transnational repression by agents of India is still a concern.
The commissioner’s comments come following years of tensions between Canada and India.
In 2023, former prime minister Justin Trudeau said there were “credible allegations” that agents of the Indian government were involved in the assassination of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India has denied the accusations.
A year later, the RCMP accused Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada of engaging in clandestine activities linked to serious criminal activity in this country, including homicides and extortions.
Canada subsequently expelled six India diplomats, including the high commissioner. India retaliated by also expelling six Canadian diplomats.
“I’m saying that based on the totality of the files that we have on foreign interference or transnational repression, what we have in our holdings is we have people that are intimidating people, harassing people, but connecting the dots to a foreign entity, regardless of the country, we don’t have that,” Duheme said this week, when pressed by Kapelos on whether there is any threat to public safety.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, meanwhile, has faced criticism for pushing to reset relations with India amid the allegations of foreign interference and transnational repression.
Despite the previously fraught relationship, Carney and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have now met three times since last June.
Speaking to reporters on background during a technical briefing ahead of Carney’s trip to India last month, senior government officials appeared to downplay the threat of foreign interference and transnational repression from India.
Asked specifically whether Canadian officials believe foreign interference by the Indian government is still happening and whether the Indian government has any links to violent crimes, one of the unnamed officials said Canada has the “right mechanisms to detect and disrupt threats.”
“I really don’t think we’d be taking this trip if we thought these kind of activities were continuing,” they said.
While Carney did not take any questions from Canadians reporters during his trip to India, he was asked about the government official’s comments during a media availability in Australia a few days later.
Referring to the comments, Carney said he “would not use those words.” He said his government’s approach to transnational repression is one of “vigilance and engagement.”
Kapelos also asked Duheme about the official’s assessment.
“The government official who made that quote, (I’m) not quite sure who briefed him,” Duheme said, adding his 2024 comments were based on “the criminal investigation … at the time.”
“That particular file, at that time, yes, I did say you had agents or proxies from the government (of India),” Duheme said.
But, he added in cases of transnational repression it can sometimes be difficult to connect certain activities to a specific foreign entity.
Both India and Canada named new high commissioners to the other country last summer, in a bid to reset relations.
A recent CSIS report categorizes India as one of the “main perpetrators” of foreign interference and espionage.
You can watch RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme’s full interview on CTV Question Period Sunday at 11 a.m. ET.
With files from CTV News’ Stephanie Ha, Abigail Bimman and Annie Bergeron-Oliver
