‘Went to Punjab to pledge Canada…’: Row over Tim Uppal’s deportation remarks as extortion fears grow

A political row erupted around Canadian Conservative deputy leader Tim Uppal after his comments on deportation and extortion invited criticism online.This comes amid growing fears that organised extortion continues to rise across Canada.Uppal posted on X that he and fellow Conservatives had questioned the Immigration Minister over the Liberal government’s “failure” to issue deportation orders to international students. “Many of these students came to Canada in good faith, received their proper Canadian visas, and are victims of immigration fraud,” Uppal wrote.Canadian journalist Mocha Bezirgan responded to Uppal, saying the leader lacked political consistency. “Who went to Punjab in 2011 to pledge that Canada would become a top destination for Indian students? Tim Uppal,” Bezirgan posted. He added that Uppal had previously opposed deportations related to fraudulent documentation and questioned his role in maintaining rules that allowed such students to participate in Conservative Party nomination races.

The exchange comes as extortion linked to organised crime is increasing across Canada, especially in areas with large Indian immigrant communities. Sikh families and business owners have been among those most affected, with threats, shootings, and arson used to pressure victims into paying large sums of money.A Toronto tabloid described extortion as a “story of people being threatened with violence, like the shooting, or arson to the business or home, if they do not pay up.” Mayor Brenda Locke said, “Residents and business owners are living in constant fear.” She called for more police resources and expedited deportation of “non-citizens charged or convicted of extortion, firearms offences, or participation in extortion-related criminal activity.”In Parliament, Uppal said Canadians were living in fear and cited a nearly 500 per cent rise in extortion cases in British Columbia. He called for mandatory minimum sentences and accused the Liberal government of failing to prioritise public safety.