Trudeau in India: a trip in which diplomatic turns into a fiasco

Photo AFP
A Profusion of traditional costumes, home, cold, absence of substance, and an invitation to an official reception, a sikh extremist who has already been linked to a terrorist group : the visit of the family Trudeau in India has turned into a fiasco.

Maxime Huard and
Christopher Nardi

Thursday, 22-feb-2018 19:52

UPDATE
Friday, February 23, 2018 00:11

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Already criticized for its lack of substance and sealed by a lukewarm reception from the government, the journey of Justin Trudeau has slipped further after a former extremist sikh had been invited to an official reception.

“This move is a fiasco,” said frankly Louis Aucoin, a strategist in communication and president of the public relations firm Tesla RP.

According to him, the tile is added to a “travel unscripted” in which the office of the prime minister has chosen to bet on the photos of the family, criticised for their heavy use of traditional clothes, ” without having something else to offer “.

The international press has widely reported how the indian prime minister Narendra Modi had “snubbed” Justin Trudeau does the hosting not to the airport. The incident of the invitation has raised an outcry in the media, indians on Thursday, where the proximity between Mr. Trudeau with Jaspal Atwal, a former member of a terrorist group, has been severely criticized.

“It is the signal that the honeymoon international Justin Trudeau begins to fade “, thought it was Mr. Aucoin.

The issue of nationalism sikh is a thorn in the side of the federal government since the beginning of the trip.

Photo AFP

While the controversy raged, the prime minister Justin Trudeau, his wife Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau, and their children Xavier, Ella-Grace and Hadrien (right) visited yesterday one of the most impressive mosques of India, New Delhi.

An India that is ” united and strong “

On Wednesday, during a meeting with the chief minister of the Punjab, Justin Trudeau has been forced to reiterate their support for Canada’s commitment to an India that is ” united and strong “.

The minister Amarinder Singh had for some time the ministers sikhs of the Trudeau government of complacency towards the nationalists who are campaigning for the creation of the State of Khalistan.

“It would be wrong. And that night to visit much more than the criticism on the pictures in traditional costumes, ” said the former Canadian high commissioner to Pakistan, Ferry de Kerckhove.

Considering that the relationship between India and Canada was already in need of mending, the odd will reinforce the fears of Narendra Modi on the issue sikh, according to him.

“The prime minister needs to strengthen its performance diplomatic “, assessed Mr de Kerckhove.

The two counterparts had to meet during the night of Thursday to Friday, Montreal time.

“Nightmare consular “

According to the specialist in national defense Joe Varner, the incident compromises the Canada both at the level of the international community that in the eyes of future economic partners.

“This is a nightmare consular,” said the adviser of the ex-federal minister Peter MacKay.

Other stakeholders expressed doubt about the potential repercussions of the case in the long term.

“This is very embarrassing, but the diplomatic relations go beyond such clumsiness,” said the former canadian diplomat Daniel Caron.

Screenshot

The prime minister has received a hundred guests at the diplomatic representation of Canada in India, still dressed in traditional clothes. However, what has caught the attention of the guests is rather his talent as a dancer, as you can read on the social networks.

The management of the security of the PM treated amateur

Amateur, or incompetent. The entourage of the prime minister is being strongly criticized after an extremist convicted of attempted murder has been invited to attend a luncheon with Justin Trudeau in India.

“There is a certain amateurishness, and a very cavalier of the security of the prime minister […] At the end of the day, there is someone in the Office of the prime minister who has not done his job,” the ex-employee to the canadian Service security intelligence, Michel Juneau-Katsuya. His analysis is shared by five experts in national security or international relations consulted by The Newspaper.

Cancellation

On Wednesday evening, the Office of the prime minister (BPM) has cancelled in the last minute the invitation of Jaspal Atwal in an evening organized by the canadian High commission in New Delhi. His presence had even been recommended by the liberal mla Randeep Sarai.

The previous day, Mr Atwal had participated in an evening where he had been taken in photo with Sophie Grégoire Trudeau. However, this man was a separatist sikh extremist who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 1986 for the attempted assassination of an indian minister during a visit to Canada.

The story has plunged Mr. Trudeau in a diplomatic controversy. The PM quickly apologized while removing the invitation. The conservative opposition calls for an investigation in good and due form.

“If the employees of the BPM and the member who has recommended the invitation have not done due diligence, then they made a mistake of omission. If they knew the past of this man, but have all the same invited to the dinner, it’s downright incompetence, ” said Carl Vallée, a former member of the BPM under Stephen Harper.

Be more careful

According to Mr. Juneau-Katsuya, Mr. Trudeau is far from the first politician in canada to be seen in the company of bad people. He believes, however, that the elected officials have any interest in doing much more attention to the people that they are willing to work with.

“Elected officials must be more careful. Do not allow yourself to be transported as luggage by the members of the communities in your district […] the Whole saga of Mr. Atwal could have been avoided with a simple search on Google, ‘ he warns.

For its part, a government source indicates that no country in the world is able to filter out each person who is on a list of guests. For the event in question, there were 1000 guests, ” she said.

“Mr. Atwal has made itself in India and the government of Canada has not made efforts for him to be present,” added the source. According to her, her invitation was withdrawn for political reasons and not security.

– With Olivier Charbonneau

Justin Trudeau recognizes his fault

Justin Trudeau has acknowledged Thursday that Jaspal Atwal would not have “never been invited” to a dinner he was in New Delhi, India, Wednesday.

“We take this situation extremely seriously,” said the canadian prime minister at its output a business conference in the indian capital.

Jaspal Atwal was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the attempted assassination in 1986, in Canada, a man of indian politics in the context of the separatist struggle in Punjab, according to media reports indians and canadians.

The parliamentary origin of this invitation ” has assumed, and will assume full responsibility for his actions “, has adjusted to Justin Trudeau.

Who is Jaspal Atwal ?

Screenshot

This picture of Sophie Trudeau and Jaspal Atwal has been circulating around the web Thursday.

• An Indo-Canadian residing in British Columbia.
• It has already been an active member of the Federation of international youth sikh, an armed organization advocating the independence of the indian region of Punjab. It is regarded as a terrorist in Canada and India.
• He was convicted in 1986 of attempting to kill an indian minister’s visit to Canada.
• A year earlier, he had had to face criminal charges after he attacked Ujjal Dosanjh, who later became the premier of British Columbia. He had been acquitted in this case.
• He was found guilty in 2010 of participating in a network of resale of stolen cars.
• He is now working in the media.
• Several photos showing Mr. Atwal in the event of the liberal Party of Canada have been circulating on social networks on Thursday.

Sources : AFP, CBC, government of Canada

Chef

The government of Justin Trudeau invited, all expenses paid, a canadian chef of indian origin to cook a meal at the High commission of Canada in India, during his stay. Vikram Vij, an activist liberal of long standing, has made the 14-hour flight with the entourage of the prime minister to be behind the stoves at a private party, reported CTV News. The Office of the first minister defended himself by saying that it is customary to invite chefs at overseas missions to showcase canadian products. Mr. Vij is an expert of indian cuisine in Canada.