Perhaps the PM cut back on that "world class" security detail PM Harper insisted on?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/indian-government-atwal-baseless-1.4555138

India calls accusations it set up the Atwal affair 'baseless and unacceptable'

Trudeau stands by government source in the House of Commons

By Catharine Tunney, CBC News Posted: Feb 28, 2018 8:26 AM ET

  
3626 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.


 
David Kane

Liberals have nothing to lose

Trudeau was a complete failure in India .....lets make things worse and accuses them of wrongdoing in an other Liberal failure

Neil Turv

@david mccaig

There are numerous pictures of Atwal and Trudeau together, so maybe modify your conspiracy theories a bit so it doesn't take 15 seconds on the internet to realise you are making things up.

David Amos

@alan boucain "He's doubling down. Like a kid spinning a tale for his parents"

I agree and we all should be very embarrassed by the childish nonsense

David Amos

@Neil Turv People Some people have convenient memories but old Terry Milewski's is still pretty good when it comes to this issue so I will defer to him

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/jaspal-atwal-invite-dinner-sophie-1.4545881

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/b-c-sikhs-quit-liberals-to-protest-justin-trudeau-s-star-candidate-1.2866343

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/justin-trudeau-denies-forcing-sikh-candidate-from-nomination-race-1.2871455

Pete Shartin

@david mccaig

India is asking a very valid question

Why did the trudeau faction bring over a known extremist who was found guilty of attempting to murder an Indian Minister in 1986 ?

What was going to happen when the assassin was at the dinner with Modi there as well ?

David Amos

@Pete Shartin I wholeheartedly agree. Trudeau "The Younger" want us to ignore the fact thae as the boss he oversee his security people. Heads should roll over this Major Faux Pas rather than dreaming up dumb conspiracy theories and making matters worse.

Doug Gray

@David Amos
Narcissistic personality cannot admit they are wrong or make mistakes.

David Amos

@Doug Gray Narcissistic personalities always make fools of themselves but when we make them Prime Ministers they make fools of us.

 
ernest paschee
Atwal has been photographed 8 times in the last 5 years with Justin.
He claims to have had personal conversations with the PM in his vehicle.
He is videoed dancing with the PM at an event.
He claims Justin calls him by his nickname...Jas.
And most recently, in the last 2 weeks was photographed with the PM's wife and invited to dine with them.
But yeah, Justin doesn't know the guy.
However Aga Khan was a "close family friend" even though Justin hadn't seen or spoke to him in decades.
Is there a Liberal out there that actually buys this?

David Amos

@ernest paschee "Is there a Liberal out there that actually buys this?"

Methinks most liberals will buy anything a young suave Trudeau is selling N'esy Pas?

 
Ben Robinson

Worst Prime Minister ... EVER.

David Amos

@Ben Robinson "Worst Prime Minister ... EVER"

Now thats not fair. Trudeau "The Younger" is still in office Methinks he has time to grow up and get some things right enough to suit you N'esy Pas?

 
Ellis Purdue

Was India also responsible for Justin's over the top extravagant wardrobe choices?

David Amos

@Ellis Purdue I heard that Trudeau found the strange duds in the closet Harper liked to hide in

Arlond Lynds

@David Amos
Oh I don't think we would want to see him in those.

 
Kristoffer Luukski Gildenlöw

I am a retired senior, veteran, white, non female, and straight, there was nothing in the budget for me. I wonder how much money has been budgeted for personal and vacation trips for the Trudeau family.

Dave Ryan

@Kristoffer Luukski Gildenlöw Why should every budget have to have something in it for you personally? Are you poor, homeless or destitute? Are you struggling to pay your bills? We have to stop this its all about me mentality growing in this and other countries. I have an issue with OAS been given to people of high income.

For example: For the OAS recovery tax period of July 2017 to June 2018, or income year 2016, the minimum threshold for clawback is $73,756 and the maximum threshold is $119,615.

Why are we giving anything beyond CPP to people in this income group? This is retirement folks, and OAS was designed to help lower income people who need help beyond CPP. The fact that anyone with a pension over $30,000 to $35,000 is getting any OAS is a crime and if you noticed in the budget information this is now the largest government expense. We have to stop this type of unnecessary expenditure by governments if we have any hope of fixing real problems in our country. IMHO

David Amos

@Dave Ryan Good points sir

Dave Ryan

@Dave Ryan Okay, I have to admit the down votes for this one surprises me. Are you disagreeing with the fact that budgets don't have to always have something good for you personally OR are you all saying that you think we should be paying OAS, which (unlike CPP which we all pay into) comes out of government general revenues, to retirees who already have pension income up to $119,515 (the full OAS claw back threshold)? I think the full claw back for OAS should be at $30,000 or $35,000 because I would argue their is no need to pay OAS to those retirees who make more pension income than that as we have more pressing needs for the money. OAS was designed to help those who didn't have enough to live off in their retirement after CPP.

David Amos

@Dave Ryan I agreed with you and got only one down vote. Should I feel left out?

 
Roderrick James

That's right. Blame it on everyone else.

Michael Murphy

@Roderrick James

Well right wingers blame everything on Liberals

David Amos

@Michael Murphy I blame you

David Amos

@Michael Murphy Nothing is ever my fault

Pete Shartin

@Roderrick James

An Asian man did it

David Amos

@Pete Shartin Methinks Trump and the Russians were behind the evil scheme to embarrass our beloved Prime Minister

 

Doug Gray

@David Amos
He acts more like Trump every day.

 
Eric Earls

Look at the dozens of other Liberal events has this guy attended, clearly he was already a Liberal insider.

Jon Holmes

@Eric Earls This much is irrefutable. I don't know how Mr Butts thinks the optics can be spun any other way. Notwithstanding the egregious insult to India this is causing.

David Amos

@Jon Holmes I concur

Pete Shartin

@Eric Earls

the icing on the cake ( pun intended ) was today in QP when trudeau blamed the security , public sector workers and government workers of taking it upon themselves to arrange a press conference to blame India for trudeau's close friend Atwal being brought over to India

David Amos

@Pete Shartin Methinks its time for Trudeau "The Younger" to cry and apologize again N'esy Pas?

 
Ken Adams

Security screening doesn't appear to be a strong suit for the PMO. First Boyle and now Atwal.

Justin Sanasol

@Ken Adams

And the Russian spy checking-out Justin’s colouring assignment on the pm’s desk.

David Amos

@Justin Sanasoll I heard a Yankee spook say that the Russian spy checking-out Justin’s colouring assignment is as dumb as a post because everybody knows that his babysitter Dominic Leblanc is still doing that kinda thing for him.

Arlond Lynds

@Ken Adams
Perhaps the PM cut back on that "world class" security detail PM Harper insisted on? At least they didn't spend over a million flying Caddies there like with "world class" Harper, Those demanded security changes increased PM security costs more than ten fold over PM typical costs for same. But then PM Harper had to hide from most Canadians for some reason.

David Amos

@Arlond Lynds Where did all those Cool Caddies go after Harper and the Boyz in Blue were done with them? Trust that I would love to own one.

  

Vance Hall

Canadians are yet again embarrassed by this government!!

Troy Mann

@Vance Hall

You don't speak for Canadians

Clint Allen

@Troy Mann
Vance Hall certainly speaks for intelligent Canadians.
The Trudeau groupies, not so much.

Troy Mann

@Clint Allen

Good to see conservatives haven't changed and still are as arrogant as Harper was. It lost you the last election and will continue to keep you in opposition. Please don't change, our economy doesn't need another recession addicted prime minister like Harper.

David Amos

@Troy Mann "You don't speak for Canadians"

True but neither do you. It does not change the fact that many Canadians are yet again embarrassed by this government!!

Arlond Lynds

@Vance Hall
I am not embarrassed by this government, I was by John Baird and the Harper road show though.

Barry Shannon

@Troy Mann

Vance is more than welcome to speak for the 61% of us that didn't vote for the libs. You are welcome to speak for the 39%. If you want to?

The Arsehole and bigtime LIEbrano Troll Arlond Lynds whom CBC loves made a comment about (He busted up the word) IS RA EL that has since been removed since I responded

David Amos

@Arlond Lynds Everybody knows all politicians in the "Western World" are

 
Roderrick James

A story written by the CBC. Imagine that. Will their protection of Justin ever cease?

Pete Shartin

@Roderrick James

I used to oppose having the CBC defunded and shut down , with what has been going on I believe the CBC in concert with the hated trudeau faction is detrimental to Canada and must be defunded and shut down , the next government can put it to a vote and the majority of Canadians will vote to shut it down and fire all employees and contractors with just cause releasing the government from any contractual responsibilities

David Amos

@Pete Shartin I agree but If I posted that I would be blocked in a heartbeat

Pete Shartin

@David Amos

they have hitched their wagon to the wrong horse , the trudeau horse is going to run the CBC over a cliff and they are doing it to themselves

India calls accusations it set up the Atwal affair 'baseless and unacceptable'

Trudeau stands by government source in the House of Commons

By Catharine Tunney, CBC News Posted: Feb 28, 2018 8:26 AM ET

Justin Trudeau, left, is greeted by Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during his ceremonial reception in New Delhi on Feb. 23 as part of the Canadian prime minister's trip to India. The Indian government is refuting any involvement in last week's Jaspal Atwal affair. (Adnan Abidi/Reuters) 

The Indian government is denying any involvement in last week's embarrassing invitation of a would-be political assassin to a formal dinner with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

In a background briefing arranged by the Prime Minister's Office, a senior government official with knowledge of the prime minister's security protocols suggested to reporters that an invitation to Jaspal Atwal was arranged by factions within the Indian government to make the Canadian government appear sympathetic to Sikh extremism.

The Conservatives later identified the official as Trudeau's national security adviser Daniel Jean.
"As we know it, here are the facts," deputy Conservative leader Lisa Raitt said in question period Wednesday. "Daniel Jean, on his own, called together members of the press gallery travelling with the prime minister in India to tell them that it was factions within the Indian government that were sabotaging the prime minister's trip."

Raitt asked Trudeau what his diplomatic response would be to India rejecting the notion that it engineered the Atwal affair.

"Since the member opposite has used the name of Daniel Jean, I will think it's important to remind them all that Daniel is a distinguished public servant who has served governments, regardless of their political stripe, for over 35 years," Trudeau replied.

"In fact, I'd remind the member opposite that the previous Conservative government so valued Mr. Jean's service that they chose him to represent Canada when he addressed the UN General Assembly."

• Liberal MP apologizes for inviting convicted would-be assassin to Trudeau's India receptions

• Rogue Indian political elements may be trying to make Canada look weak on Sikh extremism: source

Atwal was a member of an illegal Sikh separatist group and was convicted of attempting to assassinate Indian cabinet minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu in 1986. He was also charged — but not convicted — in the 1985 attack on Ujjal Dosanjh, who later became B.C. premier and a federal Liberal cabinet minister.

Canadian Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amarjeet Sohi was photographed with Atwal in Mumbai on Feb. 20. (Name withheld by request)

Trudeau stood by the government source in the House of Commons on Tuesday, after getting pummelled by questions from the opposition benches.

Embattled MP resigns as Pacific caucus chair 

India, apparently, was also watching.

"We have seen the recent exchange in the Parliament of Canada regarding two invitations issued to Jaspal Atwal by the Canadian high commissioner, for functions hosted in honour of the Canadian Prime Minister in India," said Raveesh Kumar, an official spokesperson for the Indian government.

Trudeau on Atwal theory

00:00 00:54

Trudeau on Atwal theory0:54

"Let me categorically state that the government of India, including the security agencies, had nothing to do with the presence of Jaspal Atwal at the event hosted by the Canadian high commissioner in Mumbai or the invitation issued to him for the Canadian high commissioner's reception in New Delhi. Any suggestion to the contrary is baseless and unacceptable."

Atwal attended at least one event tied to the Trudeau visit at which he was photographed with the prime minister's wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, and Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amarjeet Sohi. Another invitation was rescinded soon after reports of it leaked out.

Atwal's invitation came through B.C. Liberal MP Randeep Sarai, who put the former member of a banned extremist group on the guest list for a dinner at the Canadian High Commission in India.
Sarai resigned as chair of his party's Pacific caucus late Tuesday.

He told reporters that he didn't know Atwal all that well, "but he's around."

Politics News

Randeep Sarai on Jaspal Atwal

00:00 00:32

Randeep Sarai on Jaspal Atwal0:32

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/atwal-sikh-trudeau-conservatives-1.4559830

It's the Atwal effect — and nobody's immune

For the opposition parties, pointing fingers over Sikh extremism is proving to be tricky

By Terry Milewski, CBC News Posted: Mar 03, 2018 4:00 AM ET

 

Justin Trudeau, right, is greeted by supporter Prem Vinning, past president of the World Sikh Organization, while attending the 20th Annual Mela Gadri Babian Da cultural festival in Surrey, B.C. in August, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press) 

The tsunami is spreading far from the epicentre of the Jaspal Atwal earthquake. And it doesn't discriminate between political parties.

The Liberals, of course, have been the ones swept farthest out to sea. A week after Atwal — a former wannabe hitman for the Sikh separatist cause — was summoned to dine with Justin Trudeau in India, the prime minister and his national security adviser were neck-deep and clinging to a conspiracy theory.

It was an Indian plot, they said, meant to make us look soft on separatism. So far, the theory isn't selling well.

But are the Conservatives and the NDP still high and dry? Not exactly. Take the case of the Conservatives first.

The motion that did not move

Hoping to paint the Liberals as soft on terror, the Tories drafted a parliamentary motion this week that states that the party "values the contributions of Canadian Sikhs" but condemns "all forms of terrorism, including Khalistani extremism and the glorification of any individuals who have committed acts of violence."

It was a trap, of course. Had the Liberals voted yes to the motion, they would have been repudiating some of their Khalistani allies. If they'd voted no, they'd have been caught in bed with them.

The word "glorification," of course, takes aim at a painful topic for families of the victims of the Air India Flight 182 bombing: the re-branding of the man who planned the terrorist act as a saintly hero.

A martyr poster of Air India bombing architect Talwinder Singh Parmar is seen fixed to the exterior of the Dashmesh Darbar Temple in Surrey, B.C. on Oct. 3, 2017. (CBC)

He is Canada's deadliest mass-murderer by far: Talwinder Singh Parmar, the architect of the 1985 bombing, whose portrait adorns Sikh temples in Surrey, B.C. and Malton, Ont. Children are being taught that the man who blew 329 innocents out of the sky was a model citizen and a persecuted martyr. (Parmar's role in planning the attack, which was accepted as fact by the Air India inquiry, was confirmed by the testimony of the man who admitted to making the bomb.)

So the Conservative motion had a sharp point on it. But there was a problem: as soon as they got wind of it, the separatist lobby, led by the World Sikh Organization, peppered Ottawa with complaints that this was an attack on all Sikhs, not just the violent ones.

A flurry of text messages went out. "They are targe[t]ing the Sikh community and tarnishing us as extremists," one of the messages said. "Canadians are starting to see us as terrorists when we are not ... Everyone please leave voicemails at the offices of Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer ... Please communicate to them that if the Conservatives carry through and bring this motion forward then we will not welcome them in our Gurdwaras and we will absolutely not support them in the future."

• Conservatives fail in bid to bring national security adviser to testify on Atwal affair

• Trudeau stands by government official floating Atwal theory

It was a familiar tactic: claiming that a critique of extremists is an assault on all Sikhs. But by morning, the blitz of messages seemed to have worked — or so the World Sikh Organization claimed.
So, the Conservatives reconsidered — and not for the first time.

​The veneration of Talwinder Parmar became an issue in 2007 at the annual Vaisakhi parade run by the Dashmesh Darbar temple in Surrey, B.C. Then-prime minister Stephen Harper sent two MPs on his behalf: Jim Abbott and Nina Grewal. The Liberals sent Sukh Dhaliwal — an MP again today — and the NDP sent then-MP Penny Priddy.

Conservative MPs Jim Abbott and Nina Grewal onstage at the 2007 Vaisakhi parade at Dashmesh Darbar temple in Surrey. At left rear, with a long grey beard, is Satinderpal Gill, a former leader of the International Sikh Youth Federation, which has been banned in Canada as a terrorist group since 2003. (CBC)

Along with then-B.C. premier Gordon Campbell, they all took the stage alongside Parmar's son and such other separatist luminaries as Satinderpal Gill of the banned International Sikh Youth Federation.

The politicians all smiled and waved as the floats rolled by with tinselled portraits honouring Parmar and other martyrs.

​Afterwards, all of them insisted it was no big deal — although Campbell changed his mind the next day and said he would not have attended if he'd known about the martyr posters.

Abbott also changed his mind — in the other direction. First, he said he was "flabbergasted" to realize that the Air India bomber was being lionized in this way. But after consulting with the Conservative Party, he reversed himself and praised the parade unreservedly.

In later years, the temple management responded by fixing a large portrait of Parmar to the outside wall.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, centre, and Punjab state Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, right, gesture along with an unidentified person at the Golden Temple, the Sikhs' holiest site, in Amritsar, India, in November, 2009. (Prabhjot Gill/The Associated Press)

Still, there was not a word about it from Stephen Harper — who, like Justin Trudeau, endured his share of lectures on this topic from his Indian counterparts.

Like Trudeau, Harper emphasized that separatists have freedom of speech in Canada. Neither Harper nor Trudeau thought to mention that Canadian politicians also have freedom of speech — and have rarely used it to denounce the celebration of Parmar.

Or so it was until — oddly enough — the very day the Jaspal Atwal story broke.

The news we all forgot

Nobody remembers it now, but moments before the Atwal wave crashed into his Indian tour last week, Prime Minister Trudeau made some news of his own. In fact, it might have been the story of the day — on any other day.

Trudeau was facing constant demands to clearly repudiate Sikh extremists back home. Pressed in New Delhi by the CBC's David Cochrane, Trudeau at first ducked a question about the Parmar "martyr" posters. He merely condemned violence and extremism in general.

So Cochrane asked him again: What about those Parmar posters? This time, Trudeau said what so many Canadian politicians have refused to say: "I do not think we should ever be glorifying mass-murderers, and I'm happy to condemn that."

That was a first. No Canadian leader had said it before. Every Vaisakhi parade, after all, is a vote-rich environment. Condemning violence in broad terms is easy. Condemning voters who revere a specific martyr is harder.

Too hard, apparently, for a politician who has long identified with Sikh grievances against the Indian government. That would be Canada's first Sikh party leader, Jagmeet Singh, who was asked the same question about the Parmar posters after winning the leadership of the NDP last fall.

Politics News

'Now the work begins'

00:00 08:22

'Now the work begins'8:22

In an interview on CBC's Power and Politics, Singh repeatedly declined to say whether the Parmar posters were appropriate. The following week, when asked again if they should be taken down, he ducked the question (again), saying, "I'm not here to tell what a community should or shouldn't do."

Is Atwal a cause or a symptom?

Until Trudeau's forgotten comment in New Delhi, then, all three of these parties have been reluctant to confront Sikh extremists — and separatist sympathies have rarely been a bar to membership in any party. Jaspal Atwal, for example, was well-known in the Liberal party as an activist at both the federal and provincial levels.

If Randeep Sarai, the MP who invited him to Trudeau's dinner in New Delhi, thought Atwal was suitable company, he wasn't alone. Some of Sarai's own campaigns were handled by the former president of the World Sikh Organization, Prem Vinning. The WSO was founded to fight for an independent Sikh state.

• Trudeau went all the way to India and all he got was this lousy diplomatic incident: Robyn Urback

• Rogue Indian political elements may be trying to make Canada look weak on Sikh extremism: source

Vinning, a veteran rainmaker for both Jean Chretien and Paul Martin, worked hard for Justin Trudeau, too — notably during the 2014 walkout of Sikh moderates in Vancouver South. In a bitter nomination battle, a group of longtime Liberals angrily left the party to protest what they called the "hijacking" of the party by extremists. They said their candidate, a secular moderate named Barj Dhahan, was forced out by Trudeau and Prem Vinning's candidate — Harjit Sajjan, now the minister of defence.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan meet with Chief Minister of Punjab Amarinder Singh in Amritsar, India. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

Sajjan himself denied being a member of the WSO and denied having any separatist leanings when so accused by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Amarinder Singh. (Singh and Sajjan later signalled they had patched up their quarrel when Sajjan met with the chief minister during the Indian tour.) But the other Canadian parties may not be so well-placed to point fingers.

And Indian leaders may conclude that the Atwal episode is not a cause of Trudeau's Khalistan problem, but a symptom of a much wider Canadian one.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/justin-trudeau-denies-forcing-sikh-candidate-from-nomination-race-1.2871455

Justin Trudeau denies forcing Sikh candidate from nomination race

Liberal leader says Barj Dhahan withdrew his bid for the Vancouver-South riding nomination willingly

CBC News Posted: Dec 12, 2014 11:21 AM PT

 

Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau, centre, attended a ceremony at the Khalsa Diwan Society Sikh Temple before the Vaisakhi parade in Vancouver in April. Trudeau told CBC News he didn't force Barj Dhahan to withdraw his nomination bid. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press)

Federal Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau denies his party's nomination process is undemocratic, and said prominent Sikh businessman Barj Dhahan withdrew his bid to be the party's candidate for Vancouver-South willingly despite accusations he was forced out of the race.

"Barj chose to withdraw from the race and I'm proud of the way the open nominations have been running," Trudeau told Rick Cluff, host of CBC Vancouver's morning radio show The Early Edition.

A number of Sikh Liberals in British Columbia told CBC News they would be leaving the party, saying Trudeau is being "manipulated" by the World Sikh Organization, by choosing the WSO-backed Harjit Singh Sajjan to represent the party in the Vancouver-South riding.

The WSO said in a statement to CBC News that it does not endorse parties or candidates.
Dhahan would not comment on the allegation he was forced out of the race, but told CBC News he withdrew from the nomination process reluctantly.

B.C. businessman Barj Dhahan is a longtime Liberal and was seeking the party's nomination in Vancouver South. He says he reluctantly stepped aside in the race. (barjdhahan.ca)

Trudeau said he isn't worried even though 30 members of the Sikh community told CBC News at least 4,000 members of the community would be tearing up their Liberal Party memberships.

"I wouldn't give too much credence to the people who are complaining very loudly," Trudeau said.
"Because it's so competitive across the country, because there's such a great energy around the Liberal Party, there's an awful lot of people who want to join, who want to become MPs. Unfortunately, when it doesn't work out for someone's favourite candidate, there can be hurt feelings. This is politics." 

The Liberals lost the Vancouver-South riding to Conservative MP Wai Young in 2011, and is one of several ridings the Liberals hope to regain in 2015.

Trudeau said ​Sajjan is a strong candidate to represent the party going forward.

"Harj … is an honest to goodness Canadian hero, a decorated veteran, three tours in Afghanistan and an extraordinary individual who will be a great contributor to our parliamentary scene and our party."

----- Original Message -----
From: Ziggy
To: david.raymond.amos@gmail.com
Sent: Saturday, February 22, 2014 6:20 AM
Subject: hey David

wonder if you remember me..We talked a few years back , and I then
started having cold feet, since the RCMP contacted me and threatened
me..I would like to apologize for been a coward

But I was arrested in 2012 December 8th by gun point ........ they
knocked my front tooth out, was placed into prision in Canada under a
faults name .........humiliated mentally abused stripped naked..

so I wonder if we can converse again.....and perhaps you could help to
safe my younger son..Who was deported to the United Kingdom..
Thanks for reading this..

  
2024 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.



ziggy

The Conservatives will save a bundle of money on attack adds against Trudeau.He's doing a good job himself of self destruction.

youlobbydimwit

@Socialist Right

Wrong again, enjoy the facts:

"While the Elections Canada investigation initially focused on calls sent into Guelph amidst nationwide complaints, the investigation expanded to complaints in other ridings across the country. Court documents filed in mid-August 2012 by the Commissioner of Elections Canada indicated that the elections watchdog had received complaints of fraudulent or misleading calls in 247 of Canada's 308 ridings, recorded in all ten provinces and at least one territory.[11][12][13][14] The allegations received widespread national media attention, and led to a series of protests in March and April 2012 in at least 27 Canadian cities"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Canadian_federal_election_voter_suppression_scandal

Drydocked @youlobbydimwit

You forgot this part from the article header (the conclussion):

"On April 24, 2014, Commissioner of Canada Elections Yves Cote issued a press release that stated, "the Commissioner has concluded that, following a thorough investigation by his Office, the evidence is not sufficient to provide reasonable grounds to believe that an offence was committed. Therefore, the Commissioner will not refer the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions".[16] However, on August 2014 former junior Conservative staffer Michael Sona was found guilty of one violation of the Elections Act."

One junior staffer found guilty. Insufficient evidence to even warrant charges otherwise. Enjoy the facts!

  

Trudeau is a Separatist

Thomas Mulclair could cure cancer and CBC would ignore it.

Darexc

@Isaac Wolfe I'm not a NPD supporter, not by a long shot, however, you're right. I was curious how many times the words Harper, Mulcair and Trudeau showed up as key words on the CBC main site so I wrote something to check every day for three month, three times per day. Mulcair came up very little, Trudeau and Harper were pretty well tied though Trudeau was way ahead for the first month, not necessarily bias but interesting.

Badriya

@guystone I notice the CBC also gives more air time to Liberal MPs, even though the NDP is the official opposition.

  

clearfocus

According to Justin Trudeau over 4,000 people in the riding are lying.

J of the P

@clearfocus
Do you trust or believe these people?

clearfocus @J of the P

The issue is far deeper than the CBC is reporting.

India is currently on a unified path towards real prosperity for 100s of millions of people. Advocating for groups that want India to split apart is dangerous and irresponsible.

Justin Trudeau is simply out of his depth. 

 

Trudeau is a Separatist

Trudeau has completely lost control of the Liberal party.
He is not a leader.

SandyGlass

@Trudeau is a Separatist ... You may be under some confusion a Leader leads, a Controller controls. 

Drydocked

@SandyGlass

True, but he is neither leading or controlling. He is being lead and controlled.

 

Backwards6

""I wouldn't give too much credence to the people who are complaining very loudly," Trudeau said."

WOW

Voiceinthedark

@Backwards6
Just think of it! 30 East Indians crying foul out of a total of 232,370 East Indians in BC. Is that something to worry about?

Yodel Simmons

@Voiceinthedark 4000 memberships should concern him

 

RickLenz

You know when the CBC has to post something negative about their posterboy candidate, it's bad.

RickLenz

@youlobbydimwit Interesting post. Funny how you don't mention the anti-Christian slant of left wing politics. I guess that's just old news. A "justifiable" bigotry against their beliefs.

You lost this argument when you jumped to bigotry conclusions. That's the classic left argument. Everyone who disagrees with you must be a racist. Trudeau made a mistake. Admit it and move on.

youlobbydimwit 

@RickLenz

Instead of dodging the question because you are exposed as someone who is trying to pass jaded opinion as fact, you are avoiding facts. You made up the argument and you lost it before you even started because your entire opinion was baseless.
You still have time to answer the question or are you waiting for a carefully written script like harper uses routinely or you only take questions you yourself create like harper does so you have a perfectly crafted propaganda piece waiting to reveal itself ? (:

PS , hint, re-read my response and answer the questions if you have nothing to hide, and please spare us the typical "bigotry" and "anti Semitism" con spin. if you are indeed capable of a reasonable response.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/b-c-sikhs-quit-liberals-to-protest-justin-trudeau-s-star-candidate-1.2866343

B.C. Sikhs quit Liberals to protest Justin Trudeau's 'star' candidate

Party stalwarts in Vancouver South nomination fight say Liberal leader 'manipulated'

By Terry Milewski, CBC News Posted: Dec 09, 2014 5:00 PM ET

Last Updated: Dec 21, 2014 9:36 AM ET

The National

B.C. Sikh Liberals walk out on Trudeau

00:00 04:03

B.C. Sikh Liberals walk out on Trudeau 4:03

(Note: This story includes a correction notice.)
In an embarrassing blow to Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, a large group of Sikh Liberals in British Columbia is quitting the party, saying Trudeau is being "manipulated" by Sikhs under the banner of the World Sikh Organization.

"We think this Liberal Party's been hijacked by the WSO," said Rajinder Singh Bhela, a longtime Liberal and former general secretary of the Ross Street Temple, Vancouver's largest Sikh temple.

• Ottawa-area Liberal nomination draws protest

"The Liberal Party, especially Justin, is in bed with extremist and fundamental groups. That's why I decided to leave the Liberal Party," said Kashmir Dhaliwal, ex-president of the powerful Khalsa Diwan Society, founded by Sikh pioneers in 1902.

The walkout was provoked by the party's selection of a WSO-backed candidate, Harjit Singh Sajjan, over a prominent businessman, Barj Dhahan. Dhahan is a moderate ally of Ujjal Dosanjh, the previous Liberal MP.

Vancouver South, wrested from the Liberals in 2011 by Conservative Wai Young, is one of several swing ridings the Liberals hope to regain in the next election.

The party-preferred candidate, Sajjan, is a decorated soldier and was a featured speaker at the last Liberal convention. He now stands to win by acclamation after Dhahan was persuaded by the party leadership to withdraw. 

Dhahan declined to discuss his reasons with CBC News, except to confirm that he withdrew reluctantly.

'Star' candidate a decorated veteran

Echoes of old battles between militants and moderates linger in the riding.

Harjit Sajjan, left, is congratulated by Gov. Gen. David Johnston after receiving the Meritorious Service Medal in March 2013. Sajjan twice served as a special adviser in Afghanistan and was the first Sikh to head a Canadian army regiment. (Office of the Governor General)

Harjit Sajjan is the son of a veteran WSO board member, Kundan Sajjan, who led fundamentalists in a losing battle with moderates over control of the Ross Street Temple.

Dosanjh, the former MP, often clashed with so-called Khalistanis fighting for an independent Sikh state called Khalistan.

The younger Sajjan is billed as a "star" candidate because he is the first Sikh to command a Canadian army regiment — a reserve B.C. regiment known as the Duke of Connaught's Own. Sajjan was also decorated for his service in Bosnia and Afghanistan.

Sajjan told CBC News, "I'm not a member of the WSO." He expressed the hope that he would win back his critics and said the issue is for voters to decide.

"Ultimately, it's up to the people of south Vancouver."

Sajjan said he saw little impact from the walkout in his travels around the riding.
"I've had no negative vibes from anybody."

Even so, the fact that he will not face a vote leads some party stalwarts to allege a violation of Trudeau's promise to hold open nominations.

"We want democratic values in this country," said Dhaliwal.

"Any party that does not respect democratic values, we will not support that party."

'4,000 will tear up their memberships'

Some 30 Sikh Liberals spoke to CBC News last Tuesday at the Sunset Community Centre in south Vancouver.

Many said they were leaving the party because the nomination process was undemocratic and because they feel Trudeau made a strategic blunder by taking advice from a militant minority in the Sikh community.

They say the resulting discontent will damage Liberal chances in the key battlegrounds of B.C. and Ontario, where half a million Canadians of Sikh origin are politically active.

Jagdeep Sanghera, twice chairman of the Liberal executive in Vancouver South, told CBC "the democratic process was ignored."

Some blame World Sikh Organization past-president Prem Vinning, centre, for pushing out a more moderate candidate. Vinning is seen with Conservative MP Tim Uppal, in the blue turban, at a 2013 event in Montreal to support the right of soccer players to wear turbans. (Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)

Sanghera said Dhahan, a well-known business leader who accompanied Prime Minister Stephen Harper's last trade mission to India, was a popular candidate who signed up some 4,000 new members — but was pushed out at the urging of the WSO's past president, Prem Vinning, a veteran Liberal power broker in B.C.

By contrast, he added, Sajjan had only 1,000 new members and would have lost the nomination had the party leadership not persuaded Dhahan to step aside.

The WSO, said Sanghera, is not representative of Canada's Sikhs, but has prevailed upon Trudeau to pick its favoured candidate.

Many of the disaffected Liberals say Trudeau is under the influence of Vinning and of Navdeep Bains, a former Liberal MP from Brampton.

"The majority of the Sikhs are not part of the WSO," Sanghera added.

"As a group we have decided we will not support the Liberal team in the next election. The group of over 4,000 from Vancouver South will tear up their memberships and walk away."

'Third World politics'

Founded in 1984 to fight for a Sikh state, the World Sikh Organization continues to defend that cause and has tried to distance Khalistani extremists from involvement in the 1985 Air India bombing, which killed 331 people.

B.C. businessman Barj Dhahan is a longtime Liberal and was seeking the party's nomination in Vancouver South. He says he reluctantly stepped aside in the race. (barjdhahan.ca)

A Khalistani militant from Duncan, B.C., Inderjit Singh Reyat, was convicted in the case and remains in prison.

The WSO says it's a human rights organization that does not advocate violence. But over its 30-year history, and into this century, it has been controversial because of extremist positions taken by some of its leaders and supporters. That includes the glorification of terrorists, such as the assassins of Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi, and casting doubt on the proven role of Sikh separatists in the Air India bombing. One WSO leader said, in 1991, that Air India bomb-maker Inderjit Reyat was a good friend.

Despite the three convictions of Inderjit Reyat, the WSO told the Air India Inquiry in 2008 that the inquiry failed to take seriously the possibility that the Indian government was to blame for blowing up its own plane.

"It is the WSO’s position that inadequate attention was paid to the question of whether the Indian Government was, itself, involved in the bombing of Air India Flight 182," the WSO's submission said.

"Numerous credible individuals outside of this Inquiry, have suggested that Indian officials may have been involved in the bombing and that the threat of Sikh terrorism may have been a manufactured, and manipulated, threat fabricated by the Indian Government for its own political gains."

RCMP witnesses told the inquiry that there was no credible evidence of any Indian involvement. The four-year Air India trial heard no such evidence, either.

Among those now quitting the Liberals in Vancouver South is Majar Sidhu, who lost three family members in the Air India bombing. Sidhu told CBC, "The Liberal Party is encouraging terrorist people. I'm supporting Harper."

• 2007 special report, part I: Sikh politics in Canada
• 2007 special report, part 2: The World Sikh Organization

Another departing Liberal, Ranbir Manj, said of the nomination process: "I feel ashamed. This is similar to politics going on in Third World countries."

Of the WSO, he added, "These are the people who are supporting people who are fighting for separatism in India." Manj said his extended family had all decided to quit the Liberals.

"Brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, about 25 people — we decided last night we are leaving right away."

'There are people who don't win'

The WSO said in a statement it does not endorse parties or candidates.

Justin Trudeau said he was satisfied with the nomination process in Vancouver South.

"In various situations across the country," Trudeau said, "there have been issues with different candidates and some people have chosen to withdraw."

​"There are winners and there are people who don't win. And, from time to time, the people who didn't succeed through the process will have complaints, and that's just part and parcel of it. But the open nominations — letting the communities have the final word on who will be their next Liberal candidate — have been a tremendous success and I'm very proud of it."

Corrections

• A previous version of this story made reference to Mr. Balwinder Bains. We accept that this reference was incorrect and have removed it from the story.
  Dec 21, 2014 9:32 AM ET

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/sikhs-rally-for-suicide-bomber-on-parliament-hill-1.1173884 

Sikhs rally for suicide bomber on Parliament Hill

But, this time, the politicians stay inside

By Terry Milewski, CBC News Posted: Mar 28, 2012 10:23 PM ET

Several hundred Canadian Sikhs bused to Parliament Hill to demand clemency for an admitted terrorist named Balwant Singh Rajoana. (Terry Milewski/CBC) 

Parliament Hill in Ottawa may present many bizarre spectacles. But has the wide, green lawn in front of the Parliament Buildings ever seen something as bizarre as a demonstration in support of a convicted "human bomb?"

That's what happened on Wednesday when several hundred Canadian Sikhs bused to Ottawa to demand clemency for an admitted terrorist named Balwant Singh Rajoana. Rajoana, on death row in India, must surely be the most unlikely poster boy for a "human rights campaign" that the Canadian capital has ever seen.

In India, the term "human bomb" denotes a suicide bomber — although Rajoana only aspired to blow himself up and never pressed the button. But he proudly acknowledges that he was the backup bomber, ready to step in if the lead bomber failed in the 1995 assassination of his fellow Sikh, Beant Singh, chief minister of the state of Punjab.

Seventeen others died as collateral damage. Rajoana, sentenced to death in 2007, claimed to have directed the attack as a member of the Babbar Khalsa, the banned terrorist group whose Vancouver cell is blamed for the Air India bombing of 1985. The BK was one of several underground groups fighting for a separate Sikh state in Punjab.

On death row, Rajoana waived his right to appeal, refused to ask for clemency and said he wished to "die as a martyr" for the Sikh cause. His hanging was set for Saturday, March 31. But, on Wednesday morning, facing strikes and demonstrations all over Punjab, the Indian government ordered a stay of execution.

This was not enough for the demonstrators in Ottawa, who consider Rajoana a "living martyr" and a "political prisoner." They cloaked their rally in the banner of "human rights" and a spokesman for the Canadian Sikh Coalition, Moninder Singh Bual, urged Sikhs to "liberate the thousands of Sikh political prisoners facing a similar plight to Bhai Rajoana."

"Bhai," meaning brother, is a term of esteem given to Sikh priests and other respected figures.
Convicted killers have often received such praise throughout the long history of Sikh extremism, in which Canada has always played an important role. And, if there were any doubt that Canada remains a stronghold of Sikh separatism, Wednesday's demonstration should settle it.

The Air India bombing may have been 27 years ago, but a low-level struggle goes on and, for weeks, a campaign has been waged to draw political figures into the defence of Rajoana and the condemnation of the government of India.

In the past, such efforts have often succeeded. Large and politically energetic Sikh communities in B.C. and Ontario present rich pickings for the pandering politician. Over the years, Conservatives, Liberals and New Democrats have all been caught cozying up to Sikh extremists in pursuit of donations, endorsements and votes.

But this tendency fell into disrepute in 2007, when politicians from all parties were spotted applauding a Vaisakhi parade float in Surrey, B.C., bearing the garlanded portrait of the "martyred" Talwinder Singh Parmar, the architect of 331 deaths in the Air India bombing. At the Air India inquiry under retired justice John Major, relatives of the victims reserved special scorn for this spectacle.

"I'm sorry, I know it's about your votes, but that's dirty business," Perviz Madon testified. Her husband, Sam, died in the bombing.

"You don't want to be associated with a group that is linked to terrorism," she went on.  "You don't want those kind of votes!"

Of course, the appetite for votes has not disappeared. During the 2011 campaign, extremist voices again clambered onto the political stage in pursuit of respectability and influence. But the defence of Rajoana may have been too much to swallow.

Jasbir Sandhu and Jinny Sims, two NDP MPs from B.C., gave minimal assistance to the Rajoana campaign by issuing a press release condemning capital punishment. But they kept clear of any sympathy for Rajoana himself and neither spoke at the rally on Parliament Hill. Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis did speak there but made the same point and, like the two NDPers, condemned political violence.

Several other MPs spoke to the rally later in the afternoon, including Conservative Parm Gill, Liberals Bob Rae, Irwin Cotler, Justin Trudeau and Kirsty Duncan, and the NDP's Jasbir Sandhu, Wayne Marston and Don Davies. All spoke against the death penalty.

So it may be that the influence of Sikh extremists is fading. But they're certainly not giving up. And, for now, they've ensured that the "human bomb," Balwant Singh Rajoana, lives on.

Corrections

• This story has been edited from an earlier version to note that several other MPs from all three main parties also spoke to the rally later in the afternoon. All spoke against the death penalty.
  Mar 30, 2012 5:21 PM ET