Canada tempers remarks as India boots diplomats

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tempered his reaction Tuesday to news that India expelled 41 diplomats by saying he did not want to "escalate" tensions.

"We're not looking to escalate, as I've said, we're going to be doing the work that matters in continuing to have constructive relations with India through this extremely difficult time," Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa.

He did not directly answer if Canada would respond to New Delhi’s actions by booting Indian diplomats.

Tensions had already reached a simmering point after Trudeau said publicly Sept. 18 that there were "credible allegations" that India was involved in the assassination of a Canadian Sikh leader outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia in June.

He called for India to cooperate with an investigation to uncover the truth about the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar -- a Canadian who favored establishing an independent Sikh state in India. Canada also expelled a high-ranking Indian official.

The Indian government considered Nijjar a terrorist but vehemently denied any part in his assassination. In retaliation for Trudeau’s action, India expelled a Canadian diplomat. Canada reacted by booting an Indian diplomat.

Then came the bombshell that New Delhi was kicking out 41 Canadian diplomats and set a Oct. 10 deadline for them to leave. The government threatened to revoke the diplomatic immunity of those who remain beyond that date. The expulsion was first reported by The Financial Times earlier Tuesday.

Trudeau struck a conciliatory tone in reacting to the news, saying the two countries were "going through an extremely challenging time" and the dispute made it "important for us to have diplomats on the ground working with the Indian government there to support Canadians and Canadian families."

Canada has 62 diplomats in India.