In response to the recent diplomatic tension between India and Canada, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry expressed his concerns about terrorists finding safe haven in Canada. He criticized Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for making unsubstantiated allegations. Sabry stated that he was not surprised by Trudeau’s comments, as he has a history of making outrageous and unsupported claims.
“Some terrorists have found refuge in Canada. The Canadian Prime Minister has a tendency to make unfounded allegations without any supporting evidence. This is reminiscent of their baseless accusations against Sri Lanka, where they falsely claimed there was a genocide. Everyone knows there was no genocide in our country,” emphasized the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister.
Diplomatic relations between India and Canada have become strained after Trudeau accused India of involvement in the fatal shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force, in Canada on September 18. Nijjar, designated as a terrorist in India, was killed outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, Canada, on June 18. India rejected these allegations as “absurd” and “motivated.” Sabry took a swipe at Trudeau for honoring a former Nazi soldier in Canada’s parliament, saying, “I saw yesterday he had given a rousing welcome to someone associated with the Nazis during the Second World War. This raises questions, and we have faced similar issues in the past. It is not surprising that Prime Minister Trudeau occasionally makes unsubstantiated allegations.”
During Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy’s speech in the Canadian Parliament on September 22, the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada honored 98-year-old Ukrainian Yaroslav Hunka, who served in the first Ukrainian division, also known as the SS division “Galicia” during World War II.
Sabry commented on the impact of Trudeau’s “genocide” remark on the relationship between Canada and Sri Lanka, stating, “That comment has indeed affected our relationship. The Foreign Ministry has clearly stated that Sri Lanka did not experience a genocide, while Prime Minister Trudeau, as a politician, claims that a genocide occurred. This contradiction does not help.”
He further advised the Canadian Prime Minister not to interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign country, emphasizing, “No one should meddle in the affairs of other nations and dictate how we should govern our country. We have a deep love for our country. That’s why we are here. We are not pleased with that statement at all. Our Indian Ocean identity is crucial, and we must strengthen the regional architecture and work together to create a peaceful environment.”
