Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced accusations in India of doing little to tackle Sikh separatism and drew backlash back home for his treatment at the G20 summit.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not hold a formal bilateral meeting with Trudeau but in a chat publicly expressed “strong concern” over Sikh insurgency in Canada.
Unruffled, Trudeau attacked Russian President Vladimir Putin even though the 9-10 September summit “consensus” declaration omitted all reference to Russia.
“The actions of the few do not represent the entire community or Canada," Trudeau said in response to his Sunday’s encounter with Modi. A day earlier he had skipped a gala dinner by Indian President Draupadi Murmu for G20 guests.
He was snubbed on his arrival on Friday when he was picked up in an older Toyota car at the rain-swept airport in Delhi. Others were accorded Audis and Mercedes, local media said.
Also, Delhi did not post the customary “welcome” note as he landed with son Xavier.
Later, a newspaper photograph showed US President Joe Biden wagging a finger in Trudeau’s face and appearing to be lecturing the sombre-looking prime minister.
Bye bye Trudeau
The developments came before he was stranded for 48 hours after his homebound Airbus A310 plane broke down in Delhi on Sunday.
Trudeau’s never ending global clown show grounded in India. pic.twitter.com/Sgi3qLaAAu
— Conservative Party (@CPC_HQ) September 11, 2023
“Trudeau’s turbulent India trip refuses to end,” wrote India Today as Ottawa sent engineers to fix the aircraft while the 51-year-old opted to while away his time in hotel.
On Tuesday, the 36-year-old plane was repaired and Trudueau left as Canadian TV stations ran programs on the embarrassment.
"Now Trudeau gets to experience the same flight delays he has imposed on Canadians through his mismanagement of federal airports," Canadian opposition MP Pierre Poilievre wrote on X.
The opposition turned its gun on his visit, his second to India in five years.
Toronto Star in a headline said “Trudeau puts Canadian trade in danger as he plays domestic politics in India.”
“India’s economy is nearly twice as big as Canada’s and with their 1.4 billion people, compared with our 40 million, we need them more than they need us in many ways,” it said.
Some 800,000 Sikhs make up two percent of Canada's population and Trudeau’s minority government depends on the community to stay afloat.
Trade worries
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe’s government accused Trudeau of picking up fights for domestic gains which could damage ties with India and risk access to one of his province’s most important export markets.
Saskatchewan accounts for a third of Canada’s sales to India.
Does Trudeau even understand the damage he is doing to our trade relationship with India - one of our most important trading partners?
— Scott Moe (@PremierScottMoe) September 11, 2023
Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison wrote to the federal Trade Minister last Friday to explain it. pic.twitter.com/3dcDMz8XFz
Trouble dogged Trudeau with the media suggesting many summit leaders had given him the cold shoulder.
Poilievre, the likely successor to the top post, took potshots at Trudreau whose popularity ratings are at their lowest now.
“Putting partisanship aside, no one likes to see a Canadian prime minister repeatedly humiliated & trampled upon by the rest of the world,” added Poilievre.
Putting partisanship aside, no one likes to see a Canadian prime minister repeatedly humiliated & trampled upon by the rest of the world. pic.twitter.com/TOR3p4gKgn
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) September 10, 2023
“For the second time in his tenure, an official trip to India by Trudeau has become defined by a cascading series of gaffes, snubs and diplomatic embarrassments,” added the Post.
“As his weekend from hell unfolded, it was almost possible to feel sorry for the guy. Almost,” said another published comment.
Trudeau’s 8-day expedition to India in 2018 was an “absolute political disaster” during which his team invited a Sikh charged with attempting to kill an Indian government minister.
The assassination of a Sikh separatist in June in British Columbia re-ignited tensions with his supporters alleging it was an Indian hit job.
India’s frosty ties dates back to 1985 when Sikh insurgents blew up an Air India jumbo jet en route from Toronto to London killing all 329 people aboard, mostly Canadians.
