Canadian Senate Speaker Opts Out Of P20 Event In India Amidst Diplomatic Tensions

Raymonde Gagne, the Speaker of Canada's Senate, will not be attending the two-day parliamentary speakers' summit hosted by India this week, as per reports by The Times Of India.

The event is set to begin on Friday (13 October) in New Delhi, and Gagne's absence is a reflection of the ongoing diplomatic strain between the two nations.

While Gagne's office has confirmed her non-attendance, no specific reasons were provided. Two Indian officials also confirmed her absence but noted that they were not given an explanation, citing the sensitivity of the matter.

Last week, Om Birla, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, announced that Gagne had agreed to participate.

However, it remains unclear whether Canada will have any representation at the meeting, as a spokesperson for the Speaker's office declined to comment.

Tensions between Canada and India have escalated following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's public accusations of the Indian government's involvement in the assassination of a prominent Sikh extremist in Canada. New Delhi has vehemently denied any role in the incident.

In addition to Gagne's absence, Canada's foreign minister, Melanie Joly, mentioned that discussions are ongoing regarding India's request for Canada to reduce its diplomatic presence in the country.

Joly emphasized the importance of private diplomatic conversations while addressing the matter on Wednesday (11 October).