Trudeau tells Amarinder, no support to separatists

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday assured Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh that his country does not support any separatist movement in India or elsewhere.

The categorical assurance from Trudeau came when Captain Amarinder sought the Canadian prime minister's cooperation in cracking down on separatism and hate crime by a fringe element, constituting a miniscule percentage of Canada's population.

Citing the separatist movement in Quebec, Trudeau said he had dealt with such threats all his life and was fully aware of the dangers of violence, which he had always pushed back with all his might.

Capt and Trudeau's meeting lasted 40-minutes. Capt handed over to Trudeau a list of nine Category `A' Canada-based operatives alleged to be involved in hate crimes in Punjab by financing and supplying weapons for terrorist activities and engaged in trying to radicalize youth and children here.

Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Punjab Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu were also present with  them in the  meeting.

The CM raised the issue of Indo-Canadians believed to be involved in targeted killings in Punjab, urging him to take cognizance of this.

This was the first time any Punjab chief minister met Canada's prime minister.