LEADING Sikh organizations across Canada have issued an open letter to Canadian MPs, expressing their deep concern over Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the upcoming G7 Summit.
The letter, signed by representatives of the BC Gurdwaras Council, Sikh Federation, Ontario Gurdwaras Committee, Quebec Sikh Council, and the World Sikh Organization of Canada, characterizes the invitation as a moral failure and a threat to the safety of Canadian Sikhs.
The letter states: “On June 18, 2023, Shaheed Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a beloved Sikh leader and Canadian citizen, was assassinated outside his gurdwara in Surrey, BC. Prime Minister [Justin] Trudeau himself later confirmed that agents of the Government of India were credibly implicated in this extrajudicial killing. Canada’s own intelligence agencies have further identified Indian government officials, including Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah, as having overseen these violent operations.”
Indian nationals Karanpreet Singh, Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh and Amandeep Singh have been charged in Nijjar’s death with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
The letter states: “We are calling on you, as a Member of Parliament with a significant Sikh population in your constituency, to take a clear position on this matter by taking the following concrete steps to affirm your commitment to justice and accountability for India’s crimes:
“1. Voice your opposition to the Government’s decision to invite Modi to the G7 and publicly reaffirm your commitment to holding Indian officials accountable for their documented interference, violence, and assassination plots in Canada.
“2. Affirm your commitment to establishing an independent public inquiry on Indian transnational repression and other clandestine activities at the earliest possible time. This inquiry must be empowered to review the circumstances leading to Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination and any other coercive or violent activity linked to the agents of the Government of India.
“3. Call on the Government of Canada to immediately suspend all security and intelligence agreements with India that can be misused to target political dissidents in Canada. This includes any intelligence sharing, consultation, or any other forms of security and intelligence cooperation that may violate Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms and international human rights obligations.”
The letter concludes: “Sikhs across the country are closely watching the actions of all elected officials on this grave issue. Sikh leadership, organizations and community members will be converging on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 14, 2025 for a public rally against PM Modi’s arrival in Canada and to consider our next steps to hold all Members of Parliament to account.
“Silence in this moment will be publicly understood as complicity as this is an existential threat for members of the Sikh community.”
RANDEEP Sarai, MP for Surrey Centre and Secretary of State for International Development, responded on Tuesday on X, stating:
“As a proud Sikh Canadian and Member of Parliament, I hear the concerns many of you are expressing regarding India’s participation at the G7.
“Let me be clear: the security and safety of Canadians is, and always will be, our top priority.
“As the Prime Minister has said, this year’s G7 agenda includes protecting our democracies, countering foreign interference, combating transnational crime, and keeping our communities safe.
“Important work continues as India has agreed to ongoing law enforcement dialogue with Canada, grounded in our commitment to justice, accountability, and the safety of Canadians.
“We will always stand up for our values – at home and on the world stage.”
