Toronto, Canada: The judge who led Canada’s public inquiry into foreign interference has been appointed to a top role in the federal justice system. The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the move on Friday as part of a senior civil service reshuffle.

Marie-Josee Hogue, a judge of the Quebec Court of Appeal, will serve as Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada. She will be the highest-ranking civil servant in the Justice Department.

Appointment Announced After Inquiry Report

Hogue headed the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions. The final report of the inquiry was released in January this year.

Her appointment was announced by the government led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, who took office in March.

No official reason was given for the timing of the appointment. The Prime Minister’s Office said it was part of a broader reshuffle across federal departments.

What the Inquiry Report Said

The inquiry report stated that India was the second most active country involved in foreign interference in Canada’s elections, behind China. The report also named Russia, Pakistan, and Iran as countries linked to interference efforts.

It said India believes Canada has not addressed its security concerns related to Khalistani separatism. The report also noted that Canadian intelligence agencies accept India has some basis for concern, citing cases where extremist groups in Canada were linked to threats or funding activities targeting India.

According to the report, these activities mainly focused on members of the Sikh community in Canada and aimed to counter support for the Khalistan movement.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs rejected the report’s claims and denied any involvement in Canada’s internal affairs or elections.

India, Canada Relations

Ties between India and Canada have shown signs of improvement since Carney became prime minister.

He invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 Leaders’ Summit held in Kananaskis in June. A video shared by Carney later showed the two leaders greeting each other during the event.

The two prime ministers also met on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg last month. After the meeting, both sides said they plan to begin talks on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in early 2026.

Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand and International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu have visited India in recent months.

Past Allegations and Diplomatic Tension

The inquiry report referred to a statement made by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Parliament on September 18, 2023. Trudeau said there were “credible allegations” linking Indian agents to the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia.

India rejected the claim and called it baseless. New Delhi also denied any link to the departure of six Indian diplomats and officials from Canada in October 2024.

What We Know So Far

• Marie-Josee Hogue has been named Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General.
• She led the federal inquiry into foreign interference, whose final report was released in January.
• India has denied all claims made in the report.
• Canada and India have resumed talks at senior political levels.

No new official update related to the inquiry or India-Canada allegations has been released since the appointment announcement.

Canada has appointed inquiry head Marie-Josee Hogue to a senior justice role following the release of her report on foreign interference. While the report raised serious claims involving several countries, including India, no new developments have been announced. At the same time, diplomatic contact between India and Canada has increased in recent months.