OTTAWA — A coalition of prominent Sikh organizations, including the British Columbia Gurdwaras Council (BCGC), Ontario Gurdwaras Committee (OGC), Quebec Sikh Council, Dashmesh Culture Centre (Alberta), Sikh Federation (Canada), and the World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO), has issued a firm call to Canadian Members of Parliament (MPs) to make tangible commitments upholding transparency and defending fundamental freedoms. A copy of the written release issued by these organizations is available with the Sikh Siyasat News (SSN).
Logos of Sikh organizations in Canada that jointly issued a statement urging Canadian MPs to address concerns about Indian interference and ensure transparency.
The joint statement follows letters sent to Canadian MPs urging support for three critical measures: maximum transparency regarding Indian transnational repression, the completion of the October 2024 parliamentary study on interference by agents of the Government of India, and an independent public inquiry into the assassination of Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The responses from elected officials have been mixed, prompting concerns from the community. According to the release, nine Conservative MPs responded to the letters but failed to address the specific measures requested, “choosing instead to frame the issue primarily in partisan terms.” The coalition called this unfortunate, particularly given recent warnings that the families of Sikh activists are now facing credible threats.
Conversely, the organizations reported receiving a joint letter from the Liberal Sikh Caucus that largely aligned with their core principles. Furthermore, MP Sukh Dhaliwal submitted an independent response that unequivocally backed all three proposed calls to action. The coalition noted that while the Liberal Sikh Caucus’s response is “a step in the right direction, significant concerns remain unresolved,” while the Conservative response “failed to address the issues at all.”
The Sikh organizations expressed mounting frustration over the Canadian government’s approach to diplomacy with New Delhi. Despite eight months of what the government termed “high level” dialogue between Canadian and Indian officials, the coalition asserts there has been “no measurable progress,” public accountability, or assurances that India will cease its interference in Canada.
Threats against the community remain active. The release highlighted that Sikh community leader Bhai Moninder Singh recently received a renewed police “duty to warn” notice, which now extends to his wife and children. Over a dozen activists across Canada remain under active police warnings regarding credible threats to their lives. Meanwhile, India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Patnaik, recently reiterated denials of any wrongdoing, claiming Indian interference “never happened.”
Addressing Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand’s assertion that engagement requires Canada to be “at the table,” the organizations pushed back, stating: “Dialogue that is met with continued denial, and without visible safeguards or accountability, erodes public confidence rather than restoring it.”