Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation on January 6th as both prime minister and head of his party. After declaring his resignation as prime minister, Trudeau stated in a speech that “this country deserves a real choice” at the upcoming election.
Hours after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned, US President-elect Donald Trump on Monday reiterated his offer to declare Canada the 51st state.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Trudeau’s popularity has been progressively declining as his government has unable to lower unemployment or inflation. For many Canadians, housing has become expensive due to the continuous cost-of-living crisis.
Under Ex Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership, Canada’s ties with India reached a toxicity level last year due to purported sympathy towards Khalistani separatists.
The Trudeau administration has been charged by India with converting Canada into a haven for Khalistani militants. Canada was also chastised by Delhi for its “vote bank politics.” In 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet in India included fewer Sikhs than Trudeau’s Cabinet, which had four.
Canada has 771,790 Sikhs, making it the country with the second-largest Sikh population outside of Punjab, India, according to the 2021 census. In Canada, Sikhs have a big say in politics.
Trudeau is dealing with internal issues within his own party in addition to worsening ties with India. At least 21 Liberal Members of Parliament have openly demanded Trudeau’s resignation; several of them did so in response to Chrystia Freeland’s resignation on December 16, 2024.
After the Liberal party lost two federal byelections in its historically safe Toronto and Montreal during the summer, 24 Liberal MPs signed a letter in October 2024 calling for his resignation.
Following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s accusation that the Indian government was complicit in the murder of Khalistani rebel Hardeep Singh Nijjar, ties between India and Canada deteriorated. Both nations expelled one another’s embassies in September 2024 after Canada claimed that there were “credible allegations” linking Indian government operatives to Nijjar’s murder.
Citing increased worries about Canadian diplomats meddling in Indian domestic affairs and endorsing anti-Indian actions, India retaliated by removing the Canadian envoy. Citing security concerns, India also temporarily halted its visa procedures in Canada.
India wanted “parity” in diplomatic representation in October 2024, but Canada recalled 40 Indian diplomats. When New Delhi withdrew its own employees from Canada and removed six top Canadian ambassadors, the diplomatic impasse grew worse.
Six Indian diplomats, including High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, were expelled by Ottawa after being tagged “persons of interest” in the June 2023 murder of Nijjar.
Indian agents were charged by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) with “serious criminal activity,” which included “homicide, extortion, intimidation, and coercion” on Canadian territory. India rejected these claims, describing them as “preposterous,” and charged that the Trudeau administration was taking advantage of the circumstance for its own political ends. The MEA asserted that Canada was wilfully permitting terrorists and violent radicals to target Indian community leaders and diplomats in Canada.
Home Minister Amit Shah was accused by Canada’s foreign ministry in October 2024 of plotting an intimidation campaign in the country. Ottawa added that it had proof linking Indian government operatives to the 2023 killing of Canadian passport holder and Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Although it has not yet received any, India has asked that Canada produce evidence linking its personnel to Nijjar’s death.
Despite numerous discussions, including meetings at global forums like the G20 Summit, Canada has not produced any solid proof that India was responsible for the killing.
However Trudeau’s resignation have eased the tension between India and Canada. But all eyes are on the new leadership whether it will create new row or will handle these trade relations wisely.