A little over 50% of Canadians want their country to decrease tensions with India over Khalistani hardliner Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing, and engage in diplomatic talks, according to a poll.

A poll commissioned by a Canadian public opinion company with a local channel revealed that a substantial 57% of Canadians would prefer the country decrease tensions and engage in diplomatic talks about the murder, which occurred outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18.

The relations between the two nations soured after Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau accused India of playing a role in Nijjar's killing last month, leading to expulsion of diplomats and New Delhi calling the charges “absurd”.

About one in four respondents said they want Canada to further investigate the accusations, and one in 10 (11%) said they want Canada to ‘be patient’ and do nothing for now.

Residents in Quebec province were more likely to say they want Canada to engage in tension-reducing measures (65%) than in British Columbia, where 50.3% chose diplomatic talks.

Three quarters of Canadians said they believe (47%), or somewhat believe (27%), Trudeau’s statement that he obtained intelligence that implicates India in Nijjar's killing.

Nearly one in five said they do not (10%) or somewhat do not believe (8%) prime minister Trudeau, said the survey, which sampled 1,058 Canadians.

79% of respondents above 55 years of age were more likely to believe or somewhat believe Trudeau’s statement than younger Canadians (69%) between 18-34 years age group.

Another report said that Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joly held a secret meeting with minister of external Affairs S Jaishankar in Washington last month to solve the diplomatic row.

Joly on Oct 11 said diplomacy is always better when conversations remain private, underscoring that she will continue to take the same approach when it comes to India.

Nijjar, chief of banned terror organisation Khalistan Tiger Force, was wanted in India for links to terrorist activities and spearheading the Khalistan referendum vote in Canada.

He was designated as a terrorist in 2020.

(Source: IANS)

-Edited for style

For more such updates and news on the go, follow us on

Instagram | YouTube | Facebook