In a bold statement, former Canadian cabinet minister Ujjal Dosanjh has strongly criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his handling of Sikh issues in Canada. Dosanjh, a Sikh himself and former premier of British Columbia, accused Trudeau of failing to understand that most Canadian Sikhs are secular and do not support the Khalistan separatist movement.
Dosanjh claimed Trudeau has a misguided perception of the Sikh community in Canada, suggesting that the prime minister’s stance has “emboldened Khalistani extremists” while creating fear among moderate Sikhs. According to Dosanjh, less than five percent of Canada’s Sikh community—over 800,000 members strong—actively support Khalistan.
“The silent majority of Sikhs do not want to have anything to do with Khalistan. They just don’t speak out because they’re afraid of violence and violent repercussions,” Dosanjh said in a column for the National Post.
Dosanjh also expressed concern over the perceived conflation of Sikh identity with Khalistani separatism in Canada, where many now mistakenly equate all Sikhs with Khalistanis. This misperception, he argued, is partly due to Trudeau’s approach, which Dosanjh believes has empowered pro-Khalistan groups to control key Sikh temples in Canada.
Recalling a conversation with Trudeau during their time as Members of Parliament from 2008 to 2011, Dosanjh described Trudeau as an “idiot” in both sociological and political matters. He noted that Trudeau sided with Khalistani sympathizers during discussions on identity and religion, further fueling his concerns.
“We had a long chat with him about identity and religion, with all of these Khalistanis sitting around the table. And he agreed with them, rather than me,” Dosanjh recalled.
The former minister also urged Trudeau to reconsider his approach to relations with India, proposing a “reset” by embracing diplomacy and humility. He advised that Trudeau could ease tensions by acknowledging India’s role as a crucial ally and suggested, “It’s just a matter of eating a bit of humble pie… That’s how diplomacy works.”
