Canada supports united India: Ex-defence minister Kenney

New Delhi, September 17

Former Defence Minister of Canada and leader of opposition United Conservative Party Jason Kenney is batting for Canadian oil and gas exports to India as he meets with host of ministers, including Harsimrat Badal, Nitin Gadkari and Sushma Swaraj in Delhi.

He will also travel to Punjab to meet with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. Kenney supports US sanctions against Iran and hopes India will stop profiting a theocratic regime in Tehran.

In an exclusive conversation with The Tribune’s Smita Sharma, Kenney supported freedom of expression when asked about pro-Khalistan campaign but underlined there has to be zero tolerance to violent extremism. He also strongly criticised policies of the first Sikh minority leader Jagmeet Singh heading a political party in Canada. 

What is the focus of your India visit?  

I am meeting ministers in Delhi and senior leaders in BJP and Congress. Then in Punjab we hope to meet with the chief minister. We will go to Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat and hold commercial meetings in Mumbai. Our focus is to promote Canada as a destination for investment, co-operation in Oil and Gas. 

Can Canada be an alternative energy supplier for India amid US sanctions on Iran? 

Ten years ago, when I first met Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad, he desperately hoped that Canada could export natural gas to fuel energy needs in India because he understood then that we are the most stable and democratic major source of hydrocarbon energy. Venezuela and Russia have top two petroleum reserves, third is Canada and fourth is Saudi. It’s obvious that for a democracy like India it is preferable to source its energy from a fellow democracy with similar values and a stable country. When we purchase oil from some of these OPEC (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries) dictatorships we are indirectly subsidising spread of extremism of which Indians have been primary victims.

Your views on Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. 

Trump came to power with one of his central commitments being withdrawal from the Iran deal. Of course the sanctions will affect global oil prices. I don’t like the fact that Indians are profiting the mullahs in Iran who run a theocratic dictatorship that treats women like property rather than people and has one of the most atrocious human rights record on earth. I’m not sad to see Iran go under the pressure it is facing from the Trump administration. I don’t trust the Iranian regime and don’t think anybody else should. 

Do you think Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit damaged tyour country's bilateral relations with India? 

The relationship is deeper and stronger than any one visit or missteps. India-Canada relationship is fundamentally strong. We do need to take note of legitimate indian concerns on national security. I have always been a hawk on these issues. 

Do you think Canada's ruling party is trying to appease the Khalistani sentiment?

Canadian politicians have zero tolerance to violent extremism of any kind. But we have a constitutionally protected freedom of expression. If Canadians want to give peaceful expressions to political views they are free to do so. But if it crosses the line into advocating violent extremism, then it is a crime in Canada. 

When you call for secessionist campaign, doesn’t it impinge upon India’s territorial integrity? 

Canada supports a united India. It does not support this or any other separatist movement. It regards India as a magnificent example of unity in diversity, of successful pluralism. We have a leader of the Social Democratic Party who is quite open in his support for that movement. But if people express their political views in Canada with civility and in the spirit of non-violence and democratic engagement it is a constitutionally protected right to do so. But we must never tolerate that moving into support for violent extremism or glorification of those who have been involved in violence. 

How do you see the rise of minority Sikh leader Jagmeet Singh? 

Canada is fortunate to have many talented people of Indian origin in our political life. His (Jagmeet Singh’s) emergence as leader of a major party is reflection of Canada’s openness to diversity. I however strongly disagree with his political views. He has been a pathetically weak leader who speculates on conspiracy theories implying that the Kanishka bombings were done by Indian intelligence services. These views are extreme and I don’t think he has a chance of becoming Prime Minister because of them.