Canada's Top Justice Official Named Amid Relations with India on the Mend
The Canadian prime minister’s office has announced that Marie-Josee Hogue, a Puisne Judge of the Court of Appeal of Quebec, has been appointed as the Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada | World News
In a significant development, Marie-Josee Hogue, a seasoned judge, has been appointed as Canada's Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General. Hogue previously led the inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian elections, which implicated India among other nations.
The appointment comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney's government seeks to strengthen ties with India, following a series of high-level meetings and diplomatic visits. Relations between the two countries have improved since Carney took office in March, with both leaders meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Johannesburg last month.
The Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference, headed by Hogue, released a report in January alleging that India was the 'second most active country' engaging in electoral interference in Canada. The report stated that India's activities aimed to promote a pro-India and anti-Khalistan narrative among the Sikh diaspora in Canada.
In response, India rejected the report's 'insinuations,' describing Prime Minister Trudeau's allegations of Indian involvement in the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar as 'absurd' and 'motivated.'
Despite these tensions, Canada and India have agreed to engage in negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with talks expected to begin in the first quarter of next year. The move marks a significant step towards normalizing relations between the two nations.
