Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing flak left, right and centre over the diplomatic showdown with India that saw New Delhi pulling out six diplomats, including the High Commissioner, from Ottawa. His failure to provide proof regarding his claims of alleged Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar at Canada Parliament's Foreign Interference Commission has worsened matters for him.
Maxime Bernier, leader of right-wing People's Party of Canada, criticised the Trudeau government's foreign policy, demanding the posthumous revoking of Nijjar's citizenship, saying that Nijjar "wasn't Canadian". "All this is happening because Canada has for decades deliberately invited these foreigners and their tribal conflicts into our country. We should recognize this major blunder and work with the government of India to find solutions instead of jeopardizing our relations with a rising world power and an important ally over this issue," Bernier wrote on X.
He added: "Nijjar wasn't a Canadian. We should perhaps posthumously take away his citizenship to right this administrative error. He should have been deported after his first fake asylum claim, like the hundreds of thousands of fake asylum claimants who are in Canada right now."
Trudeau Faces Opposition From Own Party
Trudeau is also facing significant opposition from within his own party, the Liberal Party. Reports suggest that he is facing mounting pressure to resign amidst a series of byelection defeats. Liberal Party MPs are looking to formally request him to step down at an upcoming caucus meeting.
"The message that I've been getting loud and clear — and more and more strongly as time goes by — is that it is time for [Trudeau] to go. And I agree," Charlottetown MP Sean Casey said in an exclusive interview with Power & Politics host David Cochrane. "People have had enough. They've tuned him out and they want him to go."
Other MPs, such as Wayne Long and Alexandra Mendès, back this view, reflecting a growing faction within the party that wants a change in leadership. Reports suggest that at least 20 MPs are prepared to support this, with a formal written demand expected soon.