Addressing the Indian diaspora on Gurupurab, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the situation with regards to the farmers’ protest was “concerning”. He also revealed that they had reached out to the Indian government through multiple means to express concern.
Farmers in India have been protesting against three new farm bill introduced by the Centre.
News18.com earlier spoke to India’s former high commissioner to Canada, Vishnu Prakash to understand “political purposes” behind Trudeau’s comment. He explained how the Sikh community was concentrated in certain pockets in Canada and had the ability to influence 8-15 Parliamentary seats. According to him Trudeau “appeased” this segment of the society for political reasons at the cost of diplomatic ties.
Canada has repeatedly questioned India’s farm policies Canada has repeatedly questioned India’s farm policies at the World Trade Organisation as well.
This is the not the first time that he has created a controversy. Here is a list:
Wardrobe Oopsies
On his trip to India in February 2018, he dressed in various local costume, to the bemusement of Indian officials.
Later, a photo emerged on the trip of Sophie Grégoire Trudeau with a man named Jaspal Atwal at a reception in Mumbai. He was convicted in 1986 of the attempted murder of an Indian politician.
Again in 2019’s election campaign, a few photos came out of him dressed in blackface, a racist caricaturing of Black people.
“It was something that I didn’t think was racist at the time, but now I recognize it was something racist to do and I am deeply sorry,” Trudeau had said.
Only Canadian PM to have formally broken ethics rules
The office of the independent ethics commissioner – one of Canada’s top watchdogs – declared in August 2019 that the prime minister’s team had breached ethics rules. The office said Trudeau and his officials had tried in 2018 to undermine a decision by federal prosecutors allowing construction company SNC-Lavalin Group Inc to face a corruption trial. Trudeau said he took full responsibility but declined to apologize, saying he had been trying to save jobs. Trudeau is the only Canadian prime minister formally found to have broken ethics rules.
Holiday at Resort Owned by Aga Khan
The ethics watchdog first sanctioned Trudeau in December 2017, ruling that the prime minister broke some conflict of interest rules when he accepted a vacation on the Aga Khan’s private island in 2016. At the time, the Aga Khan’s foundation was formally registered to lobby Trudeau and his officials. Trudeau said he accepted the report and would clear future vacations with the watchdog.
Remark on Indigenous Protestor
Trudeau, who says one of his main priorities is helping Canada’s marginalized and impoverished aboriginal population, was forced to apologize in March 2019 for making a sarcastic remark to an indigenous woman who interrupted a Liberal Party fundraiser to protest about poor living conditions. He told her “Thank you for your donation” as she was escorted from the room.
Mishandled a Female Legislator in Parliament
In a May 2016, incident dubbed ElbowGate, an impatient Trudeau – frustrated by what he felt were the opposition’s stalling tactics – crossed the floor in the House of Commons to grab a legislator but accidentally elbowed a female Parliamentarian in the breast. He apologized repeatedly for the incident, saying he was only human and in a high pressure job. He also promised there would be no repeat of his actions.
WE Charity Controversy
In June, the Canadian government said WE Charity would run a student grant program, which was part of COVID-19 relief. The contract to WE was given via a sole-source agreement, not an open competition.
At issue specifically is that Trudeau, and former finance minister Bill Morneau, had personal conenections to WE and were involved in the decision-making process, without recusing themselves.
Morneau’s daughter works for WE.
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