NB Explains | Know why Canadian senate speaker skips G20 event in New Delhi

The 9th G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20) was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, 13 October, in the nation’s capital. Canada is notably absent from the schedule for the P20 and Parliamentary Forum.

 

 

This comes in the midst of continuous hostilities between New Delhi and Ottawa following the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

 

Canada had earlier informed the office of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla that Gagne would be present at the summit.

Birla already stated in a press conference last week that he would bring up “several issues” in his informal discussions with the Canadian Speaker.

 

 

 

The Speaker of the Canadian Senate, Raymonde Gagne will not attend the G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20), which will start here on Friday. “The Canadian Speaker is not attending the Summit. Schedules keep changing,” according to Indian Express which quoted its sources as saying. No reason was given for Canada’s decision. It is unclear if Canada will have any other representatives at the meeting.

 

The development was confirmed by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in remarks to the media on Thursday. He stated that all G20 members and invited guests had received invitations from India and were free to decide whether or not to attend.

 

The US, which is also a part of the intelligence-sharing network Five Eyes that also includes the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, is also missingthe summit. America is yet to elect a new Speaker following the departure of its previous Speaker, Kevin McCarthy.

 

Germany and Argentina are also not attending the conference, according to official sources, for “internal reasons.”

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