Subscribe Now! Get features like
Canada’s opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has assured the Indian community in his country that he will restore a “professional relationship” with India if he becomes the next Prime Minister.
Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party, also condemned the “aggression shown” to Indian diplomats stationed in Canada and the growing Hinduphobia in the country.
In an interview with Nepalese media outlet Namaste Radio Toronto, Poilievre said, “We need a professional relationship with the Indian government. India is the largest democracy on Earth. It’s fine to have our disagreements and hold each other accountable but we have to have a professional relationship and that is what I will restore when I’m Prime Minister of this country.”
When asked about the removal of 41 Canadian diplomats from India, Poilievre said, “This is another example of how Justin Trudeau is not worth the cost after eight long years. He’s turned Canadians against each other at home and he’s blown up our relations abroad. He’s so incompetent and unprofessional that now we are in major disputes with almost every major power in the world, and that includes India.”
Poilievre also condemned the pro-Khalistan car rallies on Saturday in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver to India’s missions. A Hindu temple was also targeted the night before, as the Vaishno Devi Hindu temple in the town of Abbotsford in British Columbia was desecrated with anti-India posters.
“Conservatives share the Hindu values of faith, family and freedom. Freedom includes the ability of worship without fear or without vandalisation and I strongly condemn all the attacks on Hindu mandirs, threats against Hindu leaders, the aggression shown to, for example, Indian diplomats at public events is totally unacceptable,” he said.
Commenting on Hinduphobia, Poilievre said, “I will continue to oppose it and I think there should criminal charges laid against anyone who attacks either the property or people at Hindu mandirs just like anywhere else.”
According to the latest polls, Poilievre is favoured to become the next Canadian PM as his party is leading the incumbent Liberal Party by over double digits and is in majority territory.
Anirudh Bhattacharya is a Toronto-based commentator on North American issues, and an author. He has also worked as a journalist in New Delhi and New York spanning print, television and digital media. He tweets as @anirudhb.