Sikh protests set to continue in Calgary as Indian PM Modi arrives for G7 summit
A crowd gathers to protest the arrival of Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi at the G7 summit, in Calgary, on Monday, June 16, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
CALGARY — Some Sikhs say they plan to continue protests in Calgary on Tuesday, condemning Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he visits the G7 leaders' summit.
The advocacy group Sikhs for Justice had already held a day of protests Monday when Modi landed at the Calgary airport in the evening then made his way to the summit in the nearby wilderness retreat of Kananaskis.
The protest in downtown Calgary included posters of the leader handcuffed, in a prison jumpsuit and another depicting him behind bars.
Activists have long been advocating for an independent Sikh state in India, known as Khalistan. It has presented a challenge to Modi's government that resulted in tensions between Canada – and its large Sikh community — and India.
Last fall, the RCMP accused Modi's government of having a role in murder, coercion and extortion in Canada. In 2023, then prime minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian government agents of being involved in the killing of Sikh separation activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C.
There has been outrage since Prime Minister Mark Carney invited Modi as a guest at the G7 gathering. The federal NDP and some members of Carney's caucus have raised concerns about the invite.
However, Modi has been at several recent G7 summits.
Bakshish Singh Sandhu, co-founder of Sikhs for Justice, said he's grateful to Carney for bringing Modi to Canada, 'so he can be exposed and held responsible.'
Canada is hosting leaders from the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Italy and the European Union. Leaders from several non-member countries, including Modi, have also been invited.
Other groups have held protests in Calgary and Banff, including environmental activists, those upset about the war between Israel and Palestine and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also attending the summit.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2025.
Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
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"Anything you try and build, there are a lot of people that have objections," he said, pointing to community groups and environmental activists raising concerns with either the specific location or broader ecological impact of a project. WATCH | Can Canada become a global LNG powerhouse? Exploring Canada's LNG potential as first-ever exports begin 4 minutes ago Duration 4:15 Times may be changing. Ottawa, along with B.C. and Ontario, have each passed legislation aimed at speeding up major projects — though not without opposition. Public polling suggests Canadians are becoming more comfortable with the idea of new infrastructure, including pipelines. Demand for natural gas is expected to grow 70 to 80 per cent through 2050, according to Wood Mackenzie. That's thanks to a variety of factors, ranging from the world's growing population to power demand from AI data centres and air conditioning to the role of natural gas as an alternative to coal. Canada has significant natural gas reserves, and B.C.'s Northwest coast provides a quick and secure route to markets in Asia. The U.S. is eyeing the same opportunity. While much of the U.S. export facilities are located on the Gulf Coast, one proposed $50-billion mega-project is located in Alaska. The White House is backing the project, including around $30 billion US in loan guarantees. "It could be, certainly, a major competitor for projects on Canada's West Coast," said Martin King, a Calgary-based analyst with RBN Energy. Heather Exner-Pirot, director of energy, natural resources and environment with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, says the Alaska project does face certain logistical challenges. Because of where the resource is located, it would need a longer pipeline traversing terrain, and materials, equipment and labour would have to be transported to isolated areas, driving up costs. Still, she said, the project could present a pretty compelling case to investors. "Alaska really wants it and all levels of government are aligned," said Exner-Pirot. "You have the secretary of energy, you have the governor of Alaska, you have everyone getting together and saying, 'We want your investment, we'll build fast, we're a reliable exporter." Ellis Ross, Conservative MP for Skeena-Bulkley Valley, isn't convinced the current political momentum around building major projects will translate into success. "What I see right now is this rhetoric — it's virtue-signalling," said Ross, who is also former chief councillor of the Haisla Nation. "I don't think this government is truly sincere in turning Canada into an energy superpower, let alone fast-tracking major projects." Rushing in Others are concerned the country is veering in the wrong direction, green-lighting projects without fully considering the environmental consequences. The community of Kispiox, about 300 kilometres up the Skeena River, is known as a fishing destination and boasts being the steelhead capital of the world. "This is one of the rare parts of the world where you can drink from the streams, you could drink from the rivers," said Kolin Sutherland-Wilson, elected chief councillor of the Kispiox Band. The community is also about 15 kilometres from the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission line, which would transport natural gas from northeastern B.C. to the Ksi Lisims project on the coast. Sutherland-Wilson said community members are concerned about the impact on the local watershed and salmon population. While the B.C. government recently approved the pipeline's continued construction, he expects there will likely be further protests, and is part of a group challenging the pipeline's approval in B.C. Supreme Court. "I would say this is the calm before the storm right now," he said. WATCH | Opposition to new pipelines persists in B.C.: Local communities worried about pipeline required for Ksi Lisims LNG 4 minutes ago Duration 2:39 Kathy Clay, president of the Kispiox Valley Community Centre Association and Chief Councilor Kolin Sutherland-Wilson of the Kispiox Band explain their concerns about the proposed pipeline. Climate concerns are another variable. Natural gas can help countries get off coal, but it is still a fossil fuel. While the pendulum of public discourse has recently swung away from climate change, it will inevitably swing back, said Crooks at Wood Mackenzie. Window of opportunity That means Canada has a narrow window to capitalize on the current upswing in LNG demand. Dulles Wang, another analyst with Wood Mackenzie, said the next five to 10 years will be critical, when demand from markets in Asia is expected to be strongest. "Beyond that, the story is a lot murkier, because the role of gas in the energy space is becoming much more uncertain," said Wang, a director on the firm's Americas gas and LNG research team, who said that at a certain point, renewables could start to displace natural gas. "The clock is definitely ticking." Clayton with the Nisga'a Nation is optimistic about breaking ground on her LNG project next year. She's eager to see the first vessel come up the river to pick up the first shipments, which could happen as early as 2029. "It's going to be amazing, and it's going to be bringing a lot of smiles and happiness to our people," said Clayton. "We see the project not just benefitting for the moment, but in perpetuity."
