British Columbia Premier David Eby says he's received a briefing from Canada's spy agency about the "assassination" of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar and he's "deeply disturbed" by what he was told.
He says he's calling on the federal government to share all information related to ongoing foreign interference and "transnational organized crime threats."
Monday's briefing came after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Parliament there was "credible" evidence linking the government of India to the June killing at a Sikh temple in Surrey, B.C.
Eby says Canadians must be safe from foreign government interference, including the threat of violence and murder.
Today, Prime Minister Trudeau announced the Government of Canada has credible evidence of links between the Government of India and the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Surrey.
— David Eby (@Dave_Eby) September 18, 2023
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He says he needs more information from the federal government so the province can better protect people at risk.
Nijjar was shot dead as he sat in his pickup truck in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdawra on June 18, in what police say was a targeted attack involving two gunmen and a getaway driver.
"I join with those in the Sikh and Punjabi community, and the broader province, demanding justice and answers," Eby says in a statement.
Investigators said in June they had not linked the shooting to foreign interference and there were no reasons to believe the Sikh community in Canada was at risk.
Nijjar was organizing an unofficial referendum in India for an independent Sikh state at the time of this death.
Timeline of events surrounding killing of B.C. temple leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar
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July 22, 2022: Indian authorities announce a cash reward for information leading to Nijjar's arrest, accusing him of involvement in an alleged attack on a Hindu priest in India.
June 18: Nijjar is shot dead in a vehicle in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, sparking a large protest outside the temple.
June 19: A close associate of Nijjar's says the temple leader had been warned by Canadian intelligence officials about possibly being targeted before the shooting.
June 21: Police say they are searching for two suspects who may have escaped the scene on foot through a nearby park, where they met a getaway vehicle.
June 24: Protesters gather outside Vancouver's Indian consulate, shouting slogans advocating for an independent Sikh state in India.
June 25: Nijjar's funeral is held at the gurdwara, reportedly attended by thousands.
July 4: Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says she is concerned about the safety of India's diplomats in Canada after protest posters accusing Indian officials of being linked to Nijjar's death are circulated in the community.
Aug. 16: Homicide investigators say they are seeking a third suspect in the case who may have been the driver of a getaway car.
Sept. 3: The Surrey School District cancels the rental of a local school for the Sikh referendum and organizers threaten legal action.
Sept. 10: A referendum vote is held at the Surrey gurdwara where Nijjar was killed, and organizers say the large turnout led to the scheduling of a second vote on Oct. 29 for those who could not vote.
Sept. 18: Trudeau addresses the House of Commons saying the allegations of Indian involvement in Nijjar's killing is "credible," and Joly says Canada is ordering one diplomat to leave.
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