Harper’s Inflammatory Remarks On Sikh Canadians & India Are Unacceptable
"If Harper truly wants to promote 'good people-to-people relations,' then he should begin by condemning foreign interference and standing up for the rights and safety of all Canadians."
Balpreet Singh
March 21, 2025 | 2.5 min. read | Opinion
Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s recent remarks at the NXT Conclave in New Delhi were not just disappointing—they were dangerous.
Speaking on the deterioration of Canada-India relations, Harper claimed he doesn’t “entirely understand” what went wrong, and then proceeded to cast suspicion on Canadian Sikhs who support Khalistan, suggesting they are “infiltrating” the Canadian government and obstructing positive relations between the two nations.
This kind of rhetoric—baseless, inflammatory, and eerily aligned with Indian state propaganda—should alarm every Canadian who values sovereignty, justice, and the safety of our citizens.
Let’s be clear - Harper’s attempt to deflect blame for the current diplomatic tensions onto the Sikh community echoes the Indian government’s long-standing disinformation campaigns. Worse, it ignores mounting evidence of India’s own wrongdoing and aggression on Canadian soil - the real cause of the now cold relations between the two countries.
Canadian law enforcement, including the RCMP, has directly linked the Government of India to the assassination of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar—a case that has sent shockwaves through our country and the world. This wasn’t an isolated incident. Indian actors have also been connected to multiple murders, organized crime, and acts of transnational repression across Canada and other countries, like the United States. These are not allegations from fringe sources; they are findings supported by Canadian intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
Just this year, the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference, led by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, concluded that India ranks second only to China in terms of electoral interference in Canada. The same report found India to be the leading threat when it comes to transnational repression of Canadian citizens. That means India is actively targeting people here, in our own country.
And yet, Harper—once the highest elected official in this land—chooses to say nothing about this.
Harper has a vested interest in Canada-India relations, as his consulting firm, Harper & Associates, was awarded a contract by the Government of Saskatchewan to expand trade ties with India. As part of this role, his firm was tasked with facilitating meetings with “senior government ministers and officials.” Harper even accompanied Saskatchewan officials on a trade mission to India, where he stated that his firm would be “working to deepen trade relationships with, and sell more products to, important foreign markets.”
WSO President Danish Singh put it best. “Rather than standing up for Canadian sovereignty, Stephen Harper appears to be prioritizing his business and trade interests with India—an unbecoming stance for a former prime minister,” he shared in a press release.
Harper’s failure to acknowledge India’s documented involvement in criminal activities on Canadian soil raises serious questions - including where does the Conservative Party stand on these issues, considering how influential and important Harper is in the party still?
Perhaps most concerning are Harper’s claims that Sikhs who support Khalistan have “infiltrated” the Liberal Party. These remarks are not just false—they are reckless. They echo decades-old Indian narratives designed to vilify Sikhs and suppress dissent. They sow distrust in Canadian institutions, further marginalize Sikh Canadians, and contribute to the rise in Anti-Sikh hate we are already seeing across the country.
If Harper truly wants to promote “good people-to-people relations,” then he should begin by condemning foreign interference and standing up for the rights and safety of all Canadians—including Sikhs. Respect for Canada’s sovereignty, the rule of law, and the democratic rights of its citizens must be the foundation of any meaningful bilateral relationship.
It is time to stop pandering to foreign powers and start defending Canada.
Balpreet Singh hails from Toronto, Canada, and is the spokesperson and legal counsel for the World Sikh Organization of Canada.
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