Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared that he made the decision to make public a potential link between the Indian government and the killing of a Canadian in order to bring awareness to the situation and to address concerns within the Sikh community about their safety. In September, Trudeau informed the House of Commons that there was credible intelligence connecting India to the shooting death of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in the parking lot of his gurdwara in Surrey, B.C. Trudeau explained that the purpose of his revelation was to provide an additional deterrent and to enhance the safety of Canadians.
Despite India’s government denying any involvement in the killing, Trudeau mentioned that his public statement was prompted by worries within the Sikh community in B.C. about what could happen next. Prior to the public announcement, Trudeau had also engaged in “quiet diplomacy” that included discussing the allegations with Indian officials at the highest levels. Additionally, Trudeau stated that he anticipated the information would be reported in the media, and he wanted to ensure that Canadians heard directly from him about the actions being taken by the government to address the situation.