‘Ulta chor…’: From 'duping' parliament to currying 'undue favour' for son, know who is Canada’s NSA Jody Thomas

Jody Thomas, National Security and Intelligence Advisor to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, was slammed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for accusing India of meddling in Canada’s affairs. Canada, despite repeated exhortations from India to act, has failed to take any action against the menace of Khalistani activism emanating from its soil. In fact, the Trudeau’s regime has been providing safe haven of refuge to Khalistani sympathisers and activists. Recently, Canada’s Brampton celebrated the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi via a float that enacted the circumstances of her murder. ‘Ulta chor kotwal ko daantey’ India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar drew on an oft-quoted Hindi phrase to take on Judy Thomas. Thomas had, earlier this month, put the world’s biggest democracy India in the league of authoritarian nations such as China, Russia and Iran. Also Read: WATCH: India's foreign minister S Jaishankar takes on Canadian NSA and HOW In a strong retort, Jaishankar said: “I was… what shall I say, the phrase which came to my mind was actually a Hindi phrase which was… ‘Ulta chor kotwal ko daantey (the pot calling the kettle black) …” But, who is Jody Thomas? Jody Thomas, her son crippling Canada’s defence? In 2021, Jody warned defence industry executives about raising concerns over a controversial $77-billion warship project. It was so because her son works for the company, Lockheed Martin, that submitted the winning bid. Jody’s son Andrew Coates has been working with the company since March 2019. The company was selected on 8 February the same year for its proposal for the Canadian Surface Combatant fleet. When the issue surfaced of Jody’s son working with the company, Canada’s National Defence denied to outline guidelines were put in place by the department to deal with her interactions on the  on the Canadian Surface Combatant project, the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships or other defence projects Lockheed Martin is involved with. In 2021, Jody admonished industry executives who were complaining to politicians and media outlets that the Canadian Surface Combatant project had fallen far short on its promises of creating domestic employment. Another company is in the middle of a lawsuit over the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC), even alleged that the procurement was bungled. A few other industry executives also warned that politicians increasing price tag for CSC will jeopardize funding for other equally important military equipment projects. Instead of addressing the concerns, Jody had alleged that the executives were hindering the project, and she characterised their efforts as being those of sore losers. “I think there’s still too much noise from unsuccessful bidders that makes my job and Bill’s job very difficult,” she said. Perjury in Parliament While Jody has made it a point to indulge in repeated virtue signalling and finger-raising at India, it must be pointed out that her own tenure as NSA, which started in 2022, has been fraught. It seems Jody runs her office, and therefore, Canada’s security, as and when warned and exposed by the Canadian media. In recent months, Canadian media has often pointed at Chinese interference in the country’s affairs, so much so, that China has been accused of funding several candidates in 2019 and 2021 elections in Canada. In this regard, Globe News broke a story, based on its access to two intelligence reports. The news report also cited a special report made up for Trudeau and his senior officials, saying: “A large clandestine transfer of funds earmarked for the federal election from the PRC consulate in Toronto was transferred to an elected provincial government official via a staff member of a 2019 federal candidate”. Jody Thomas then, apparently, lied to the Canadian Parliament on the matter. When questioned by the House of Commons defence committee, she brushed aside the Globe News story as just a “news story”. But, when the matter was pursued by Opposition Conservative MP Michael Cooper, she even forgot what she had said earlier! “I can’t confirm that was my exact quote,” she told Cooper. Moreover, Globe News claimed that when it reached out for a comment, Privy Council Office spokesman Stephane Shank said: “Ms. Thomas will not comment on information that was inappropriately obtained.” Oblivious Jody master in shifting blame Not just in case of India, but Jody Thomas seems to be gathering her intelligence not from intelligence sources, but from media exposes. And, then she doesn’t own up to her mistakes too. After a Globe and Mail story earlier this year that pointed at China running a full-fledged surveillance op in the country, spying on MPs no less, Jody in her usual way pointed somewhere else, this time in complete darkness. “There is no one person. There is no single point of failure,” Jody Thomas told a parliamentary committee. “There is a flaw in the process,” she said, shifting the goalpost out of the very ground. She accepted, though, that PM Trudeau and she had come to know of the spying ring only after the media reports. But, her denial was sapped by another media report from CBC. “In a report released last week, former governor general David Johnston — appointed by Trudeau as a special rapporteur on foreign interference —  found evidence that Chinese officials contemplated taking unspecified action against (MP Michael Chong) Chong in 2021 and sought to build a profile on him,” the CBC report noted.         Canada-haven of refuge for Khalistanis In Canada, Trudeau is leading a minority government which is backed by the New Democratic Party (NDP). Interestingly, NDP is headed by Jagmeet Singh who is an arch-Khalistani separatist. The Canadian government would not be able to survive without NDP that has 24 seats in the parliament. Jody has been shifting blame to India, rather than blaming their own alliance partner. With his backing from Trudeau, Jagmeet Singh has gone into an overdrive against India and has been extending support to the Khalistani cause. Jagmeet Singh sought support of Trudeau when police were searching for Khalistani separatist Amritpal Singh in Punjab and had temporarily suspended the internet in some districts. Jody should be reminded here that not India, but lawmakers from her own country have been interfering in India’s internal affairs. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.