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It is well recognized all over the world that Canada is a glorious country with vast and beautiful landscape, considerable natural and mineral resources and many attractive tourist spots. Given these reasons, Canada remains as a prosperous country though under populated.
In such favourable circumstances, the practice of welcoming migrants and refugees from various countries to Canada is adopted as a policy measure by the Government of Canada, not only to bolster it’s population level but also reflecting it’s humane approach. Today, people from several countries including from Europe, Asia and Africa have migrated to Canada and settled down as full fledged citizens, enjoying liberty, rights and privileges that the Canadian government liberally provide to it’s citizens.
However, there also seem to be a negative angle to such liberal policy towards migrants and refugees, as the demographic structure of Canada is getting disturbed and sort of sectarian outlook appears to be developing between different groups with varying background, which may create friction in the coming years. Even now , there is evidence of such friction happening. So far, it appears that government of Canada has not looked into such possible scenario with the seriousness and care that they deserve.
Such developments have taken place in Western Europe also in recent times, when thousands of refugees / migrants from Syria and other Islamic countries were permitted to enter Europe on humanitarian ground. These migrants /refugees are unable to get integrated into the general population, as they lack skill or sufficient education and have different religious practices. Such situation has resulted in increased level of crimes and violence and shootings in European countries in recent time and there is huge concern about such situation. Recently, some Hindu temples were attacked in U K by those belonging to Islam religion and many people wonder whether this would be the state of things to come in Europe in the coming years. Governments in Europe seem to be at a loss not knowing how to tackle this difficult situation , which is causing social tension and violence in public life.
In Canada , one serious development is that separatists and terrorist elements who manage to get entry into Canada as migrants, however small in number they may be in the total population , are getting entrenched in Canada. It appears that Canadian government have ignored such elements so far, since the separatism and terrorism are not targeted or aimed at Canada but other countries in the world. Such developments are now causing anxiety and huge concern to other affected countries such as Sri Lanka, India.
LTTE, separatist and extremist group with the declared objective of splitting Sri Lanka by force, have largely operated and seem to be now operating from Canadian soil. While this is causing serious problem for Sri Lanka, Canadian government have allowed them to operate in Canada and not bothering about the concern of Sri Lankan government.
In almost similar way, Khalistan movement is operating in Canada with the declared objective of forming a separate Khalistan state in India. Inspite of India’s appeal, Canadian government has not checked the activities and growth of Khalistan separatist movement in Canada.
Canadian government is doing a very big mistake by thinking that such separatists and terrorist groups operating in Canada will not harm Canada but only other countries.
But the recent experience show that stabbings in Canada have become too frequent . Entrenched separatist groups have started attacking innocent people who may belong to India or other countries. against which the separatist groups are operating. Very recently, a series of stabbing at an indigenous community in a town nearby Saskatchewan have left ten people dead and fifteen wounded. In 2020, a man disguised as a police officer shot people in their homes and set fire across the province of Nova Scotia killing 22 people. In 2019, a man used a van to kill ten pedestrians in Toronto. Recently, a few Indian students have been killed and Hindu religious centres have been attacked.
Situation in Canada has caused so much of concern to Government of India that it has advised students and visitors from India to be careful to safeguard themselves in public places against violent acts by some terrorist groups.
The writing on the wall is now very clear with regard to the likely scenario in future in Canada with regard to law and order.
Tolerating terrorists and separatists in the name of personal liberty and freedom in Canadian soil will become a suicidal path for Canada, if such policy would not be scrapped immediately. Obviously, the terrorists will not only cause problems elsewhere but will also convert the Canadian soil into a hot bed of terrorism, if Canadian government were to fail to understand the gravity of situation and take necessary measures to control the separatist / terrorist groups operating freely in Canada now.
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*Trustee, Nandini Voice For The Deprived, Chennai
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