‘More work to do’ to ensure agents of India are not threatening Canadians: minister

OTTAWA – Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said Thursday there’s “a lot more work to do” to ensure agents of the Indian government are not coercing or intimidating people in Canada. 

Anandasangaree stopped short of agreeing with a federal official who said Ottawa is confident people acting on behalf of India are not currently engaging in extortion or threats of violence in Canada. 

Asked during a briefing with reporters Wednesday on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s trip to India whether agents of that country are currently involved in extortion or violent threats, the official said Ottawa has a very robust diplomatic engagement with India.

“And I think we can say we’re confident that that activity is not continuing, or we would not be having this type of discussion,” said the official, who was speaking on background.

In response to a followup question, the official said: “If we believed that the government of India was actively interfering in the Canadian democratic process, we probably would not be taking this trip, right?” 

Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal, who represents the riding where Nijjar was murdered, said on social media Thursday he firmly denounces the federal official’s remarks to reporters.

He said they contradict assessments from the national security and intelligence adviser, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the RCMP.

“This matter must be addressed, and the individual’s conduct and suitability for their role must be reviewed,” Dhaliwal said.

Sikh activist Moninder Singh, who received a warning from Vancouver police on Sunday about a credible threat to his life, said he suspects the Indian government is behind the threat. 

Singh said he suspects he’s been targeted by the Indian government due to his work on a campaign calling for the creation of a separate Sikh homeland out of Indian territory. He said other Sikh separatist activists across Canada have received similar warnings. 

Singh worked with Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another Sikh independence advocate and president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, who was shot dead in June 2023 while leaving the Surrey, B.C., temple’s parking lot.

In May 2024, four Indian nationals were charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder in relation to Nijjar’s death. The case is now before the B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster.

Anandasangaree indicated Thursday that Canada is engaging with India on two tracks — one aimed at economic development and the other related to security issues.

He said that would mean “at times difficult conversations around safety and security of Canadians and, of course, there are still outstanding issues that we’re going to work through.” 

Anandasangaree also stressed the role of the legal system and courts in resolving issues of a criminal nature.

Asked whether he agreed with the federal official’s assessment at the media briefing, Anandasangaree said: “What I’m suggesting is that there’s still a lot more work to do, and we will do that work.” 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2026. 

— With files from David Baxter and Dylan Robertson