Politics
Paetongtarn Shinawatra Officially Endorsed as Thailand’s Prime Minister
Thailand’s king backed Paetongtarn Shinawatra as prime minister on Sunday, just two days after parliament elected her, clearing the path for her to form a cabinet in the coming weeks.
Paetongtarn, 37, became Thailand’s youngest prime minister when ally Srettha Thavisin was removed by the Constitutional Court. The court has played a key role in Thailand’s political upheaval over the past two decades.
Paetongtarn, the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was elected as Thailand’s second female prime minister and the third Shinawatra to hold the position, succeeding her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra.
House of Representatives Secretary Apat Sukhanand read out King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s consent, which was a formality, at a ceremony in Bangkok on Sunday.
Paetongtarn, dressed in official attire, knelt in front of a portrait of the king before delivering a brief speech thanking the king and the people’s representatives for supporting her as prime minister.
“As head of the executive branch, I will do my duty together with the legislators with an open heart,” she told the audience. “I will listen to all opinions so together we can take the country forward with stability,” she promised.
Paetongtarn, who has not previously served in government, has hurdles on numerous fronts, including the flailing economy and the diminishing popularity of her Pheu Thai party, which has yet to deliver on its main digital wallet cash handout scheme worth 500 billion baht ($15 billion).
After obtaining the royal endorsement, Paetongtarn hugged her father Thaksin and other family members.
In her inaugural news conference, Paetongtarn stated that she will continue all of her predecessor Srettha’s goals, including “major” economic stimulus and reform, combating illegal drugs, enhancing the country’s universal healthcare system, and fostering gender diversity.
She stated that the government will not abandon its centrepiece digital wallet idea, but rather “study and listen to additional options” to ensure the system is fiscally responsible.
“The goal is to stimulate the economy, so this intention remains,” Paetongtarn stated.
The Legacy of the Shinawatra Family and Thailand’s Political Turmoil
The prime minister stated that she had no plans to appoint her father Thaksin to any official positions, but will seek his advice.
Paetongtarn stated that details of her government proposals will be presented to parliament next month.
The demise of her predecessor Srettha after less than a year in office serves as a reminder of the dangers facing Paetongtarn, with Thailand mired in a volatile cycle of coups and court rulings that have disbanded political parties and deposed successive administrations and prime ministers.
The Shinawatra family’s legacy and political future are at danger. Last year, their once-unstoppable populist juggernaut suffered its first election setback in almost two decades, forcing them to form a coalition with their arch foes in the military.
The latest upheaval shows a collapse in a fragile truce reached between Thaksin and his enemies in the royalist establishment, which had permitted the tycoon’s dramatic return from 15 years of self-exile in 2023 and ally Srettha to become premier on the same day.
The court that dismissed Srettha over a cabinet appointment dissolved the anti-establishment Move Forward Party, the 2023 election winner, for a campaign to modify a royal insult legislation that threatened the constitutional monarchy.
The opposition to Pheu Thai has formed a new party, the People’s Party.
Source: Reuters
Politics
Former NDP Leader Says Trudeau is Top on Trumps Hit List
According to Canada’s former NDP leader, Thomas Mulcair, Trump’s strained relationship with Justin Trudeau has the potential to exacerbate the country’s already challenging social, economic, and environmental situation.
When Trump was last in office, he began making it much more difficult for asylum seekers in the United States. Justin Trudeau saw a political advantage in the contrast and memorably tweeted #WelcometoCanada.
What followed was a tremendous inflow of asylum seekers, most of whom arrived via an unlawful border crossing on Roxham Road south of Montreal. It immediately became a political flashpoint, escalating tensions between the Quebec provincial administration and Ottawa.
After years of refusing to acknowledge the problem, Trudeau was eventually obliged to respond, but the unplanned enormous rise in new arrivals, especially those now arriving from the United States, became a key cause of his electoral fortunes deteriorating across our country.
Trudeau believed that Canada should aim for a population of 100 million by the end of the century. The problem was that this massive increase in our population (from 36 million when Trudeau took office in 2015 to nearly 42 million today) occurred without any planning for health and educational services, especially without considering the impact on the availability and affordability of housing in Canada.
That surge into Canada, sparked by Trump and amplified by Trudeau, could become a tsunami of new arrivals during Trump’s second term. If Trump, as promised, closes his southern border and begins deporting illegal immigrants and asylum seekers, Canada may witness an increase in the number of people crossing our borders.
Trump has also pledged to raise tariffs on manufactured products entering the US. This could harm all provinces, but Quebec and Ontario could be especially badly struck. This is not good news for Trudeau, who keeps saying he’ll run in the next election.
The Beauce region of Quebec, south of Quebec City, extends to the United States border. It has traditionally voted more conservatively than the rest of the province. This region’s peculiarity stems partly from its proximity to the United States and a strong entrepreneurial mindset.
Several Liberals believe Canadians would prefer to keep Trudeau as prime minister because he strongly contrasts Trump. That is wishful thinking. When Trump made his one-and-only trip to Canada for a G-7 conference in Charlevoix, Quebec, Trudeau took potshots at him shortly after he left, according to Thomas Mulcair.
The problem for Trudeau was that Trump was still on Air Force One and could hear his words. He mocked Trudeau (opens in a new tab) for being kind to him in person but then complaining about him behind his back.
Trump has many opponents, and Trudeau has always been on it. Stephen Maher, Trudeau’s biographer, accurately defined Trudeau’s predilection for “pious scolding.” The notion that Trudeau’s ongoing criticism of Trump and his actions could benefit Canada is naive.
Canada and the United States have unique, highly close histories and geographies. Our economies are also very interconnected.
Trump’s disregard for environmental protection would, naturally, clash with Trudeau’s meager efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. Trump will see our fossil fuel resources as his own, and Trudeau will be woefully unable to address the situation.
Mulcair believes that the coming months will provide crucial indicators of what is to come in Canada-United States ties.
Meanwhile, pressure will mount for Trudeau to step down and allow a new Liberal leader to try to build a more trusting relationship with the new American administration.
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Politics
Trudeau Orders Facebook to Block Australian Presser Video
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prohibited news source Australia Today from airing External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s joint press conference with his Australian colleague Penny Wong over the Attacks on Hindu Temples in Canada.
The move left the Australian news outlet perplexed and astonished the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, which condemned Canada’s attempt to silence varied viewpoints.
Jitarth Jai Bharadwaj, Editor-in-Chief of Australia Today, described Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government’s conduct as “dictatorial”. Bharadwaj said his group was still investigating why the video was blocked in Canada.
Bharadwaj stated that the Indian diaspora in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States is Australia Today’s primary target demographic. The news platform focuses on stories regarding the Indian diaspora and ethnic communities.
On Friday morning, Australia Today shared footage from Wong and Jaishankar’s joint news appearance, during which the diplomats discussed the precarious plight of Indians and their diplomats in Canada.
Around four hours later, the source also posted a seven-minute interview clip with Jaishankar, in which the Indian external affairs minister stated that surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada is “unacceptable”.
Shortly after their release, both the press conference tape and the interview became inaccessible in Canada, and many people shared images of the restricted message on Facebook.
The Indian foreign ministry slammed the move as the Trudeau government’s “hypocrisy” over free expression.
“We hear that the social media handles and pages of this particular source, a major diaspora outlet, have been blocked and are inaccessible to readers in Canada.
This occurred shortly after this handle covered EAM Dr. S Jaishankar’s press appearance with Penny Wong. We were startled. “It appears strange to us,” MEA spokeswoman Randhir Jaiswal stated.
While recounting the entire scenario, Bhardwaj expressed surprise that people in Canada could not see the recordings.
“They began providing screenshots with us demonstrating that this content is not available for viewing in Canada due to a government order. What had transpired caught me off guard.
So I inquired about other cities across Canada where we have friends or are following, and everyone stated they couldn’t view it. And that’s how we found out. Bhardwaj informed Firstpost News on Friday.
He recalled that the two films first appeared in Canada and quickly went viral. Bhardwaj further stated that the videos elicited strong reactions from Indians in Canada before their suspension.
“It appears like the Canadian government is clamping down on the press. As of now, they have not lifted the prohibition or restriction, whatever you want to call it,” he stated.
When asked if the news organization had contacted the Canadian government to express its concern, Bharadwaj replied that an email had been sent to the Canadian Ministry of Communication.
“They haven’t responded to our email, which we wrote to the Canadian Ministry of Communication about this section ban, asking why it has been placed since diverse views have a place in a democracy,” he told me.
Bharadwaj expressed his disgust and bewilderment over the situation, saying, “It looks like Justin Trudeau and his government are behaving like dictators.”
Trudeau is a Dictator
He further stated that Meta informed the Australian site that the “restriction was imposed under the Canadian government’s direction,” implying that the Trudeau administration objected to the content of the video in which Jaishankar explained India’s perspective on the ongoing issues.
“The Indian diaspora is suffering as a result of the actions of the Canadian government.”
When asked about the impact of such restrictions on the Indian diaspora’s access to information, Bhardwaj stated, “The Indian diaspora in Canada is certainly suffering because of the behaviour and acts of the Canadian government.”
“Every hour, they repeat the Western democracy charter, which states that every citizen has the right to free information to make educated decisions regarding political, social, cultural, or religious problems, as well as any other decision they wish to make. “It has to be an informed decision,” Bhardwaj declared.
“The free press and media are two means for providing that knowledge so people can make informed decisions. “The Canadian government does not want its citizens to hear diverse or critical views,” he told FirstPost.
While emphasizing that they are still looking for explanations as to why the films were prohibited in Canada, Bhradwaj suggested that the Trudeau government may not be open to hearing critical viewpoints.
He explained, “I have no idea why they made the decision. However, it appears that they dislike any minister from India or Australia who is critical of them.
I mean, there was a simple question asked in the press conference by me, how do you react to attacks on Canadian Hindus by Khalistani groups or Hindu temples in Canada?”
The Australia-based journalist said that Wong had spoken about Canberra’s concerns. “It’s unparalleled.
Trudeau Selectively Uses Freedom of Speech.
If you get provoked by a few ministers of different countries criticizing your actions or non-actions, then it’s on them that they have to learn a few things about politics, diplomacy and press freedom,” he said.
The ‘Canadian government has been selectively using freedom of speech.’
One of the core arguments put forth by the Trudeau administration to defend their alleged support of the pro-Khalistani movement in the country is that they are ensuring freedom of speech.
When asked about Canada’s stance on the matter, Bharadwaj said that the “Canadian government has been selectively using freedom of speech” to further its political agenda.
He mentioned two situations. One of them involved Pro-Khalistani terrorist Gurpurwat Singh Pannun threatening Australia Today journalists.
“Sikh for Justice’s Gurpurwat Singh Pannun made a video with the photographs of my team, our editors and gestured like this, a gunshot and said, fix these people in Punjabi. Canada did nothing,” he told Firstpost.
“We have complained to Canada that Mr Pannun has been doing this and inciting hate or violence towards us, but they haven’t done anything. What kind of government are they? What kind of press protecting Western democracy do they claim to be,” he asked.
Bharadwaj also recalled how the Trudeau administration cracked down on trucker strikes in the country a couple of years ago.
“Two years back when truck strikes were happening on the roads of Canada, they clamped down on Canadian citizens disregarding freedom of speech, disregarding [their] right to protest,” Bharadwaj said.
“They also blocked their financial bank accounts. So, these truckers had to go back to their places, stopping their protest. If that is not hypocrisy, what it is, I can’t say more,” he said.
Bharadwaj emphasized that the Indian and Canadian governments need to resolve their issues. “Canada cannot ignore the way it is ignoring the Khalistani, pro-Khalistani groups who are threatening violence, who are attacking Hindu temples, who are even threatening the press,” he said.
With the Canadian elections on the horizon, Bharadwaj said, “Things probably won’t change much until Trudeau is at the helm of things in Canada.”
Trudeau has been under immense political pressure back home after the New Democratic Party broke its alliance with his Liberal Party, bringing the government to a minority in the Canadian parliament.
Trudeau has survived two trust votes, and Canada observers say he may not get another term with the election due next year.
Politics
Trudeau Admits Khalistani Separatists Faction Resides in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged for the first time the presence of Pro-Khalistani Sikh separatists in Canada. His acknowledgment comes as India has accused Trudeau of protecting pro-Khalistani elements in the country.
Speaking at Diwali celebrations on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Trudeau acknowledged that a basis of Khalistan support existed in Canada but emphasized that it does not reflect the Sikh community as a whole.
The death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated Khalistani terrorist, outside a gurdwara in British Columbia in June 2023 strained relations between the two countries. Trudeau’s subsequent suggestion that India may have been involved sparked a diplomatic uproar.
At the Diwali ceremony, he stated, “There are many proponents of Khalistan in Canada, but they do not represent the Sikh community as a whole. Similarly, Modi supporters in Canada do not speak for all Hindu Canadians.
Trudeau’s admission came only days after a violent confrontation broke out outside a Hindu temple in Brampton, Canada, between pro-Khalistan demonstrators and believers.
Video video showed chaotic scenes as protesters, some carrying Khalistani flags, assaulted temple visitors, resulting in physical altercations with fists and poles. Trudeau criticized the event, highlighting Canadians’ right to freely exercise their faith, and complimented local authorities for their quick response.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs raised grave worries over the safety of its nationals in Canada, describing the disruption outside the temple as an act of anti-India sentiment.
“Despite these efforts by anti-India elements, our Consulate was able to issue more than 1,000 life certificates to Indian and Canadian applicants,” said MEA spokeswoman Randhir Jaiswal.
Canada has accused India of participation in Nijjar’s death but has failed to present conclusive evidence. Last month, Trudeau acknowledged that the claims were based on information rather than evidence.
He claimed that Canadian authorities had been briefed by their intelligence, with information from Five Eyes allies, implying Indian spies were involved, though no conclusive evidence has emerged.
In response, India denied the charges, accusing Canada of providing a haven for pro-Khalistan radicals who threaten India’s security. The Indian government has frequently asked Canada to act against these groups but claims its demands have gone unanswered.
The escalating hostilities have widened a long-standing divide between the two countries. Following Nijjar’s murder, Canadian police proposed the participation of six Indian officials, which India denounced as “preposterous.”
Last month, New Delhi issued a robust reply to charges that India’s High Commissioner to Canada was a person of interest, highlighting Canada’s failure to present evidence despite repeated requests.
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