Canada’s Vote Bank Politics: Domestic Compulsion And Foreign Policy Fallout – Analysis

Sri Lanka and India have become victims of Canada's ethnic vote bank politics. 

"Vote bank politics" is a South Asian term which refers to the cultivation of a community to secure their votes. In some cases, a blind eye is turned to undesirable elements, like terrorists, among these communities. Such a blind spot may lead to domestic as well as international problems.

Canadian political parties attempt to get the support of various ethnic groups living in Canada. This cannot be deemed objectionable as it is mandated by democratic electoral politics. But in the case of the Sri Lankan Tamil and the Sikh ethnic groups in Canada, political parties' vote bank politics has had direct implications for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and India.

Sri Lanka

On May 21 this year, the Sri Lankan government hit out at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for engaging in electoral "vote bank" politics by making an "outrageous allegation" about "genocide" during the island nation's brutal armed conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that ended in 2009.

Sri Lanka pointed out that the LTTE has been banned in 33 countries other than Sri Lanka.

"Canada's falsification of our history amounts to irresponsible disinformation. It misleads the minds of current and future generations in Canada and elsewhere, encouraging and perpetuating hatred. It empowers extremism on all sides in all parts of the world where such messages are easily and instantaneously transmitted including through social media. We therefore urge the Canadian Government to assume responsibility in a spirit of mutual respect in promoting peace and harmony"," the government's statement said.

"Canada's disproportionate focus on Sri Lanka is a clear example of double standards.While Canada has opted to support a false narrative regarding the conflict in Sri Lanka, it has remained intentionally ambiguous relating to the daily dire humanitarian situations we see elsewhere. It is crucial that countries like Canada, who claim to be global advocates of human rights, recognize their self-interested double standards which are resulting in increased polarization in the international community."

"Clearly, the repeated statements by the Prime Minister of Canada with regard to Sri Lanka are the outcome of electoral vote bank politics in Canada, funded by a small number of Canadians of Sri Lankan origin with vested and personal interest," Sri Lanka's statement said.

India

Earlier this month, the Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau accused the Indian government of assassinating a wanted Sikh terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, on Canadian soil and expelled six Indian diplomats including High Commissioner Ramesh Kumar Verma.

India described the charge as "preposterous" and accused Trudeau of doing "vote bank" politics. New Delhi also expelled the top most Canadian diplomat in residence and six others.

Canada is a multi-ethnic country in which Sikhs and Sri Lankan Tamils have for long been an important part. The Sikh population is about 770,000 and the Sri Lankan Tamil population is about 240,000. The Sikhs even have a political party the National Democratic Party (NDP) with a significant presence in parliament. The Tamils have no political party but have influential lobbyists in parliament and outside.

Sikhs have a reputation for being much more politically engaged than other Diaspora communities in Canada. The Sikh vote is a significant factor in elections.

The White Canadian political parties enter into alliance with the ethnic groups or ethnic parties or uphold their demands for electoral gain.Trudeau's Liberal Party has been doing the same. It had an alliance with the NDP, which subsequently broke. Yet, Trudeau continued to cultivate the Sikhs turning a blind eye to those in the community who were actively advocating a separate Sikh country called Khalistan carved out of India.

Canadian political scientist Roy Norton points out that over the decades, White Canadian participation in party politics has been declining and the participation of certain Diaspora communities, especially Sikhs, has been rising. In many parliamentary constituencies, the Diaspora communities could tilt the outcome one way or the other. Hence their growing importance for the mainstream White parties.

And Diaspora communities in Canada prioritize foreign policy objectives ahead of other concerns, Norton points out. This is where the rub is.

The result is that Canadian political leaderships are unwilling to accept even "reasonable" requests from the Governments of India or Sri Lanka. Though only a section of Sikhs or Tamils are supportive of an independent Khalistan or Tamil Eelam, Canadian political leadersfear losing the entire Sikh or Tamil vote if they do not endorse the demand of the minority.

India's Outburst

A statement released by India's External Affairs Ministry on October 14, blasted Trudeau of indulging in vote bank politics without nay regard for India's territorial integrity.

On the action taken against the Indian High Commissioner in the case relating to the assassination of Sikh terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Indian government said: "This latest step follows interactions that have again witnessed assertions without any facts. This leaves little doubt that on the pretext of an investigation, there is a deliberate strategy of smearing India for political gains."

"Prime Minister Trudeau's hostility to India has long been in evidence. In 2018, his visit to India, which was aimed at currying favour with a vote bank, rebounded to his discomfort. His Cabinet has included individuals who have openly associated with an extremist and separatist agenda regarding India. His naked interference in Indian internal politics in December 2020 showed how far he was willing to go in this regard."

"That his Government was dependent on a political party, whose leader openly espouses a separatist ideology vis-à-vis India, only aggravated matters."

"Under criticism for turning a blind eye to foreign interference in Canadian politics, his Government has deliberately brought in India in an attempt to mitigate the damage."

"This latest development targeting Indian diplomats is now the next step in that direction. It is no coincidence that it takes place as Prime Minister Trudeau is to depose before a Commission on foreign interference. It also serves the anti-India separatist agenda that the Trudeau Government has constantly pandered to for narrow political gains."

"To that end, the Trudeau Government has consciously provided space to violent extremists and terrorists to harass, threaten and intimidate Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada. This has included death threats to them and to Indian leaders. All these activities have been justified in the name of freedom of speech."

"Some individuals who have entered Canada illegally have been fast-tracked for citizenship. Multiple extradition requests from the Government of India in respect of terrorists and organized crime leaders living in Canada have been disregarded."

Row with Trudeau Goes Back to 2018

International relations expert C.Raja Mohan noted that in most countries, especially democracies, "the cultivation of narrowly-based domestic constituencies for electoral reasons has its unfortunate consequences for the conduct of foreign policy."

Recalling the 2018 visit to India by Trudeau, Raja Mohan noted thatPrime Minister Narendra Modi, who is more than eager to serenade visiting leaders in his home state of Gujarat, did not travel to Ahmedabad to be with Trudeau. Despite repeated efforts, including at the highest political levels, to flag the question of Sikh separatism in Canada, Trudeau was reluctant to address India's concerns.

There was speculation as to whether Trudeau would meet the Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh who was on the hit list of the Sikh terrorists. He did not what to meet Amarinder Singh. But according toIndian Expresshe did meet Amarinder Singh after he was told that his plane would not be allowed to land in Amritsar if he did not agree to meet the Chief Minister.

Raja Mohan correctly predicted in 2018 that Trudeau's visit, instead of putting aside the Khalistan issue, would aggravate the differences with India. And that was evident in 2023 and 2024.

Political scientist Roy Norton found that radicals seeking overt Canadian government support for the dismemberment of a generally friendly country have always failed. But Canadian governments would not interfere with peaceful, law-abiding actions by segments of any Diaspora community, or by any Canadians, supporting human/democratic rights abroad. Ottawa complains that New Delhi and Colombo do not understand this democratic practice.

Norton also noted that, in contrast to the past, foreign governments have begun to act on Canadian soil against Canadian citizens who they consider threatening to their interests. Verbal protests have been substituted by action on the ground. The assassination of Sikh terrorist Nijjar allegedly by Indian agents in June 2023 is an example.