How India-Canada relations reached an all-time low

India-Canada Relations: “The death of a Sikh separatist on Canadian land has escalated tensions between India and Canada, leading to the expulsion of their top diplomats, a new low in their traditionally friendly relationship. Although there have been tense arguments in the past, none have escalated to this degree of direct conflict.”

The greatest Sikh diaspora outside of the Indian state of Punjab is found in Canada, where there are about 770,000 Sikhs. Relations between the two nations are still strained by Sikh separatism, which has its roots in a violent rebellion that took place in India in the 1980s and early 1990s. Delhi has harshly criticized Canada for not doing more to stop the pro-Khalistan agitation inside its borders. 

Trudeau informed reporters in 2016 that he had four more Sikhs in his cabinet than India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Even though they only make up around 2% of the population, Sikhs have a significant impact on Canadian politics, holding 15 members in the House of Commons, or more than 4% of the total. 

Several of these seats are located in strategic election battlegrounds. In 2020, Delhi sharply criticized Trudeau for voicing his concerns about farmer demonstrations in India. The two nations have been friends for a long time. 

One of the biggest groups of Indian descent is found in Canada, where 1.3 million people, or almost 4% of the total population, are of Indian descent. In 2022, India ranked as Canada’s tenth-largest trading partner, making it a priority market. Canada’s main source of overseas students has also been India. 

In eastern Canada, a wildfire that is “extremely aggressive” has forced thousands to leave.

At least one hospital has been closed in the Town of Labrador City, where thousands of people have been forced to evacuate due to a wildfire that has burned over 24,000 acres in eastern Canada, officials said Saturday.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador spokesperson, Jeremy Reynolds, stated that around 9,500 people had been evacuated from Labrador City. Situated in the northwest of the province, some 900 miles north of Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is the isolated town of Labrador City.

The distance between Labrador City and the fire is about three kilometers northwest. Furey stated that the residents have been instructed to evacuate to the six-hour drive away Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Furey said the Labrador West Health Centre has also been temporarily closed due to the blaze. All patients, including forty-five patients receiving treatment for more critical diseases, have safely left the hospital.

 Furey further stated that those individuals had been transferred to facilities located within the province. The hospital declared that it would stay closed until it was safe to reopen in its entirety.

Police say shots were fired overnight at a Jewish girls’ school in Toronto.

According to authorities, a Jewish girls’ elementary school in Toronto has been shot at twice since May.

Reporters were informed Saturday afternoon by Insp. Paul Krawczyk that Toronto police had received a report of a broken window at the Bais Chaya Mushka Girls Elementary School at approximately 4 a.m.

 After more inspection, authorities concluded that bullets had hit the window and other areas of the building. In addition to saying that the event occurred on Yom Kippur, one of the holiest days in the Jewish calendar, Krawczyk stated the hate crime team is working on the case. 

Lawmakers condemn antisemitism

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his “disturbed” feelings about the revelation in a post on X on Saturday afternoon.”Mayor Olivia Chow described the incident as “horrific” and said she had been in contact with the police chief when speaking to media at a food bank event on Saturday. 

In May, a similar occurrence occurred at school.

The early morning shooting at the deserted school has happened before this year. 

After unidentified perpetrators allegedly opened fire on the school early on a Saturday morning in May, authorities launched an inquiry. Following the shooting, officials and members of the community staged a demonstration denouncing antisemitism and bigotry.