A report has been published on the increasing influence of separatism in Canada. It has been said in a warning tone that the country cannot protect its sovereignty by giving space to movements that deny the sovereignty of other countries.
According to the report, Canada can avoid legitimizing the separatist agenda while still protecting the religious freedom, freedom of expression and political participation of Sikhs.
Khalsa Vox reports that this requires implementing the sanctions announced against terrorist organizations, refusing to give platforms to groups that glorify the culprits of the Air India plane bombing, and not giving any foreign referendum the same political importance as a vote on Canadian Confederation.
Some of the ads also quoted, adding, “The Canadian province of Alberta is set to vote on October 19 on the question of whether to initiate a constitutional process to hold a binding referendum on the province’s independence.” Meanwhile, ads around Airdrie are drawing attention to the ‘Alberta Referendum on Alberta Independence’ scheduled for October 18 in Edmonton.
In the report, America-based Khalistani organization ‘Sikhs for Justice’ (SFJ) has been said to be behind these advertisements. It said the organization has publicly projected the pro-Khalistan rally in the city of Calgary, Alberta as a platform for both the ‘Punjab referendum and Alberta independence’ campaigns. The organization also praised the Government of Canada for allowing the people of Alberta to exercise their right to self-determination.
A speaker supporting Alberta’s independence said at a pro-Khalistan rally that the event inspires him for his campaign. In the report, there is a difference of one day between the dates of both the events as a deliberate strategy adopted.
Khalsa Vox reported, “SFJ’s referendums are informal and non-binding and have no legal significance for the Government of India. It would be remiss for Canada to ignore their political and social implications. This movement has been using Canada’s streets and gurudwaras for the past four decades to push separatist claims to Indian territory. Now an attempt is being made to link the issue to the crucial Canadian unity vote in Alberta.”
“Separatist movements not only threaten the countries or communities they directly target, but can also challenge the sovereignty of the countries where they operate,” the report warned.
It says that such movements promote the idea of making national boundaries a subject of political campaigns instead of considering them as permanent. Additionally, they can bring intelligence and political rivalries between foreign countries into domestic security arrangements and lead to intimidation of dissenters within their own communities.
The report also draws a distinction between Alberta’s proposed vote and the pro-Khalistan event being held in Edmonton. Accordingly, the October 19 vote is part of the process for Alberta voters to consider its constitutional status under Canadian laws, while the proposed Punjab referendum the day before is intended to take advantage of this political development to legitimize a foreign territorial claim.”