Conservatives Urge Ottawa to List Bishnoi Gang as Terrorists

August 13, 2025

Toronto: The Canadian opposition Conservative Party is urging the federal government to designate the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist organization. Party leader Pierre Poilievre stated on X that Liberal immigration policies have allowed Bishnoi members to enter Canada and threaten communities, calling to ban the group and arrest and deport all members.

Conservative MP Frank Caputo sent a letter to Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree asking for the designation to give authorities more tools, including financial, criminal, and property sanctions.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis also urged Ottawa to designate the gang, describing it as a transnational criminal network involved in violence, extortion, drug trafficking, and targeted killings, including in Canada. They argued that the designation would unlock powers for provincial and municipal law enforcement to disrupt operations and protect people. British Columbia Premier David Eby had previously pressed for a similar move in June.

Last month, the public safety minister noted that a legal threshold must be met for such a designation, but the decision remains under review by law enforcement agencies. The Bishnoi gang has been tied to extortion attempts in Ontario, BC, and Alberta. Separately, CBC News reported that recent Edmonton extortion arrests involved individuals linked to the Brothers Keepers gang, originally from BC.

India has also pressed for action against Bishnoi gang members operating in Canada, including Satinderjeet Singh, alias Goldy Brar, who is wanted in connection with Sidhu Moose Wala’s May 2022 murder.