RCMP Reports Significant Drop in Public Safety Threat Following Expulsion of Indian Diplomats

RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme has confirmed that public safety threats in Canada have significantly decreased following the recent expulsion of six Indian diplomats. The move, which came after allegations of their involvement in serious criminal activities, has had a noticeable impact on security within the country, according to Duheme.

Speaking in an interview with CTV’s Question Period host Vassy Kapelos, Duheme highlighted the improvement. “I can confirm that there has been a significant reduction in the threats,” he said, crediting both RCMP investigations and community outreach for the progress. The expelled diplomats, he explained, had been acting on behalf of the Indian government in clandestine operations.

The expulsion of the diplomats was part of an ongoing investigation into foreign interference and criminal activity linked to the Indian government. “You had diplomats, consular officials, and agents working on behalf of the Government of India,” Duheme said. Their removal, he added, has been particularly impactful in South Asian communities, where the threat level has noticeably dropped.

This action followed two press conferences on Thanksgiving Monday, during which both the RCMP and federal government accused the Indian diplomats of being involved in homicides, extortion, and other serious crimes. The officials were expelled for refusing to waive diplomatic immunity, a move that prevented them from being questioned by Canadian authorities.

Despite the positive outcome, Duheme expressed concern about the possibility of new diplomats replacing those who were expelled. “Based on what I know, I would have a concern,” he said, acknowledging that the threat might not be fully eradicated. Organized criminal groups, he warned, often find new ways to operate after setbacks.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly also played a central role in the diplomatic fallout. She named Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and five other diplomats as persons of interest in the investigation into the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who was killed in British Columbia last summer. Their refusal to cooperate with law enforcement by waiving immunity led to their expulsion.

While Joly directly linked the expelled diplomats to Nijjar’s murder, Duheme maintained a more measured stance. He explained that the investigations into the diplomats are distinct from the ongoing Nijjar case, which remains before the courts. “We are investigating diplomats and consular officials with direct ties to criminal activities such as homicide, coercion, and harassment,” Duheme stated, without drawing a direct connection to Nijjar’s killing.

Duheme, a veteran of 35 years in law enforcement, described the situation as unprecedented in Canada. “I’ve never seen this,” he remarked, calling the scenario “surreal.” However, he noted that the risk may persist. “I can’t say that the threat would be forever eliminated,” he said, suggesting that criminal groups might regroup and adapt to the current situation.

In an exclusive interview with CTV, Sanjay Kumar Verma denied any involvement in the assassination of Nijjar, insisting that “not a shred of evidence has been shared” with the Indian government by Canadian officials. However, with investigations still ongoing, the diplomatic and security implications of this case are far from resolved.