In the last six years, Justin Trudeau, the leader of the Liberal Party and the Prime Minister of Canada has matured as a politician. From being a representative of woke, he is now practicing more of realpolitik. During this time, he also learned that the 21st century is the Indian century, and riding against this wave would only harm Canadian interests.
A few years ago, Trudeau was among the most ardent Khalistani supporter and had appointed Harjit Sajjan, a prominent Khalistani activist, as the defense minister of the country. However, this hurt the country badly when India forced the Canadian Prime Minister to change its stance on Khalistan in order to supply vaccines. The person who brokered the vaccine supply deal, Anita Anand, has been chosen as the defense minister of Canada by Trudeau in the newly inducted cabinet.
Trudeau learns his lesson
As reported by TFI earlier, the vaccine program of Canada of jabbing every single citizen by September 2021 had fallen way behind after the supply of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine had stopped for the last week of January and reduced to 50 per cent capacity for the month of February.
When Conservative party leader Michelle Rempel exposed the Trudeau government for keeping its ego at the front and putting the lives of millions of ordinary Canadians in danger — some sense finally prevailed in Canada’s Liberal PM as he finally turned towards Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February for the COVID-19 vaccine– much to the chagrin of the Khalistani elements who had been pressurising Trudeau to sever ties with New Delhi. And the newly appointed defense minister Anita Anand played a very important role in breaking the ice between Ottawa and New Delhi.
Now Trudeau has learned his lesson and appointed Anita Anand, an Indian-origin politician who was Minister of public services and procurement in the last cabinet, as the new defense minister. Sajjan, who was the defense minister for 6 years, has been demoted and appointed Minister of International Development in the new Trudeau cabinet.
Anita Anand’s heritage
Anita Anand is known to be pro-India. Her father was from Tamil Nadu and his grandfather was a freedom fighter. “On this day, I am also thinking about my grandfather, V. A. Sundaram, who walked and worked with Gandhiji in the struggle for India’s independence,” tweeted Anand after the appointment as Defense Minister.
On this day, I am also thinking about my grandfather, V. A. Sundaram, who walked and worked with Gandhiji in the struggle for India’s independence. https://t.co/fxpUU6PExV 🙏🏽 https://t.co/F3xDKXIikR
— Anita Anand (@AnitaAnandMP) March 10, 2021
Vellalore Annaswamy Sundaram, an associate of Mahatma Gandhi and Hindu Nationalist leader Madan Mohan Malviya, and played a very important role in the establishment of Banaras Hindu University.
Anand’s anti-terrorism stance
Anand is known to be pro-India and has supported Indian interest on various matters including anti-terrorism. She assisted the panel in probing the 1985 Air India Kanishka bombing in which 329 people were killed. Kanishka flight 182 from Canada’s Montreal to New Delhi was blown off near Ireland on June 23, 1985, killing all 329 people on board, mostly of Indian origin.
“The victims of the bombing of Air India 182 and their families are in my thoughts today and always. I am privileged to know some of you and honour the memories of your loved ones with you,” she tweeted on the anniversary of the Bombing.
The victims of the bombing of Air India 182 and their families are in my thoughts today and always. I am privileged to know some of you and honour the memories of your loved ones with you. 🙏🏽 https://t.co/U93H5wORhA
— Anita Anand (@AnitaAnandMP) June 23, 2020
India-Canada relations
Replacing Sajjan with Anand is Trudeau’s admission to the Modi government that he is willing to cooperate and also a message to Khalistanis that the olive branch is cut down.
Additionally, the appointment of Anand as the defense minister would ensure that India and Canada move ahead with cooperation on other matters such as trade.
The two sides have been negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) since 2010 with the latest round of negotiations last held in August 2017 as the Modi administration started giving Ottawa a cold shoulder for its leader Justin Trudeau’s erratic behavior and a shambolic trip to India.
Read more: Canada implements its own CAA two years after condemning India for it
Justin Trudeau needed a lesson that going against India would have repercussions and he learned that lesson during the vaccine supply. A mature Trudeau would be good for India-Canada relations and the Prime Minister has walked the first step with the appointment of Anand as defense minister.