Topic: Def Min's "Architect" Statements (split fm Walts et. al.)

[milnews.ca]

Meanwhile, back in Canada ...

Asked to appear on this weekend’s episode of The West Block with Vassy Kapelos, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s office said he was not available – for this or any other interviews – over the weekend.

Producers then sent a request to the minister’s former parliamentary secretary John MacKay, as Sajjan’s office suggested. The Prime Minister’s Office was looped into the interview request (this is not uncommon for broadcast bookings) and eventually came back with a confirmation not for MacKay, but for Transport Minister Marc Garneau.

Sajjan has been in the spotlight since his claim about the magnitude of the role he played in a Canadian-led NATO offensive against the Taliban.

( ... )

When asked via email Friday morning, the PMO did not say how long Garneau will be giving media interviews on the defence file ...

[sandyson]

Just heard the similar Global National report. One option for Trudeau is to replace the MND and therefore delay the Defence Review publication until...  Which has more political worth: switch MND and delay a difficult policy or keep a now controversial personality and announce a policy that will  be even more controversial?  There is a potential opportunity for him to put off Defence again.

[Jarnhamar]

Wikipedia says

Sajjan was wounded during his service in Bosnia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harjit_Sajjan

On the same page under Honours and decorations I don't see a wound stripe or sacrifice medal but I'm not sure if the former would be considered an Honour and decoration and the latter was just a recently issued medal I think?

[CloudCover]

In the article at the link below the author claims Sajjan was "wounded in battle", but does not specify where or when. This would most likely be a representation by the author who is either quite skilled at expanding the narrative, or incredibly naive. She also writes that Sajjan stopped counting "close calls" "after 40".... I'm not sure if that means he had 40 close calls, turned 40 years of age, etc.    In general, there seems to be some puffery on the part of the media to overstate this man's experiences, which is a shame because they probably stand well enough on their own merits and seems to cause him reputational  stress when probably none is warranted. 

http://www.vancouversun.com/life/series+part+twelve+defence+rights+others+with+video/7209454/story.html?__lsa=8441-c112

I couldn't get the video to play, maybe Sajjan says something about it in the clip.

 

[Colin P]

He may have had a few close calls in the VPD as well

[kratz]

ref: CTV.ca

The info machine continues to repeat the MND's mantra, in today's review of who is part of the cabinet:

“single-handedly changed the face of intelligence gathering and analysis in Afghanistan.”

[Brihard]

ref: CTV.ca

The info machine continues to repeat the MND's mantra, in today's review of who is part of the cabinet:

In fairness to the MND, that’s not his words. They’re quoting then BGen David Fraser, who was in charge of that whole particular schebang. That letter was written by Fraser to the chief of Vancouver Police, from whom Sajjan was on a leave of absence for his deployment to Kandahar in 2006.