Amid escalating diplomatic tensions between Canada and India, two senior officials within Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government have come forward to admit they were responsible for leaking sensitive intelligence to *The Washington Post*. The leak involved allegations that agents from the Indian government were linked to violent acts in Canada, including the assassination of Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a case that has caused strain between the two nations. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Canada’s national police service, had not yet publicly confirmed these connections when the information was disclosed to the media.
Nathalie Drouin, Trudeau’s national-security and intelligence adviser, informed a parliamentary panel on Tuesday that she, alongside Deputy Foreign Minister David Morrison, was responsible for the decision to share details with the press without direct authorization from Trudeau. Drouin emphasized that the timing was not coincidental but rather a carefully planned strategic move to assert Canada’s position before India could respond. She specified that the leak, which occurred just before Canada’s Thanksgiving on October 13, was timed to precede India’s swift retaliation the next day, which involved expelling six Canadian diplomats and labeling India’s High Commissioner and other key diplomats as "persons of interest" in the investigation.
Drouin described the action as a “communications strategy” devised by herself and Morrison to ensure that Canada’s version of events reached a high-profile American media outlet, which they saw as crucial for shaping international perception in Canada’s favor. According to Drouin, the leak was intended to sway global opinion and underscore Canada’s concerns regarding India’s alleged interference in Canadian affairs. This tactic marks an unusual move in international diplomacy, highlighting how the Trudeau administration has sought to leverage public opinion and international media to gain leverage in the ongoing dispute with India.
The revelations have sparked intense scrutiny within Canada, as many are questioning whether such sensitive information should have been disclosed without public or official confirmation by the RCMP. Furthermore, the leak has complicated diplomatic efforts to address the underlying tensions, as India has called for Canada to provide credible evidence substantiating its claims about Nijjar’s murder and India’s alleged involvement. The incident underscores the delicate balance Trudeau’s government is attempting to strike as it navigates the complexities of national security, diplomatic strategy, and public communication in one of the most significant diplomatic rifts in recent history between the two nations.
These recent admissions by Drouin and Morrison have intensified domestic debate within Canada over the ethics of such disclosures and raised questions about the potential long-term impact on Canada-India relations. As both countries remain at an impasse, the leaked information has added fuel to the ongoing dispute, with international allies closely watching the situation unfold.
