Trudeau’s Ministers Junked RCMP Embargo, Gave Classified Information On India To Washington Post
Canadian media outlets pointed out that there was a lack of consistency when Trudeau discussed the issue of sensitive information to media. (IMAGE: REUTERS)
The leaks of classified information to Washington Post shows how Justin Trudeau is not consistent when it comes to handling leaks of classified information.
Despite the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) putting an embargo on publicly announcing sensitive information pertaining to India, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s national security adviser and deputy foreign minister went ahead and leaked classified information to US-based newspaper the Washington Post.
Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail, who first reported the development, also said that actions of Trudeau’s top national security and intelligence adviser, and David Morrison, deputy minister at Global Affairs (Canadian counterpart of the Indian ministry of external affairs), are in contrast to how Trudeau said he feels about leaks of classified information.
Trudeau had earlier criticized the leaking of classified information about China’s interference to The Globe and Mail, calling that leak “a criminal act”.
But the leak in India’s case, where the Trudeau government cast aspersions that Indian government was involved in homicides in Canada, did not spark any reaction from Trudeau, even in front of the foreign interference committee where he gave a testimonial last week.
The sensitive information that Trudeau’s ministers had shared was to be made public by the RCMP on the day of Thanksgiving (which it subsequently did) but both of Trudeau’s ministers had leaked the info to the newspaper a week earlier.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Monday also discussed Canada’s ‘double standards’ but was referring to the kind of diplomatic immunity it seeks versus the kind of diplomatic immunity it extends to other nation’s envoys.
“Double standards is a very mild word for it,” Jaishankar said while explaining how Canada treats other diplomats and the “licence” their diplomats try to use while in India.
Ties between New Delhi and Ottawa came under severe strain over the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil last year.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Monday also discussed Canada’s ‘double standards’ but was referring to the kind of diplomatic immunity it seeks versus the kind of diplomatic immunity it extends to other nation’s envoys.
“Double standards is a very mild word for it,” Jaishankar said while explaining how Canada treats other diplomats and the “licence” their diplomats try to use while in India.
Ties between New Delhi and Ottawa came under severe strain over the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil last year.
