Canada’s official representative will not be present at the G20 event in India this week.

NEW DELHI: The speaker of Canada’s senate, Raymonde Gagne, will not be attending a Group of 20 event hosted by India this week, as diplomatic tensions between the two countries continue to rise. The two-day parliamentary speakers’ summit, which starts on Friday in New Delhi, will proceed without Gagne’s participation. No reason was given for her non-attendance. It remains unclear if Canada will have any representation at the meeting. Relations between Canada and India have deteriorated since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of playing a role in the assassination of a prominent Sikh extremist in Canada. The Indian government has denied any involvement in the incident. Additionally, Canada’s foreign minister, Melanie Joly, stated that the two countries are still discussing India’s request for Canada to reduce its diplomatic presence in the country. Joly emphasized the importance of private conversations in diplomacy.