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

[Colin Parkinson]

I guess we just can't slap 6 months of extra duties on the MND and be done with it?

As for him being a yes man, I suspect everyone in Cabinet will fit that description to a point, for all we know he might be doing a decent job of defending the military despite the best efforts of the rest of Cabinet to stick a knife into them. We knew the Liberals where going to repeat the decade of darkness, we hoped he could put up a good fight and make them see reason, I suspect that they will use him as the lightening rod for all the problems of the CF and let him be consumed by it. After all he is hardly part of the core Liberal heart, being a west coaster and being different.

 

[FJAG]

...
As for him being a yes man, I suspect everyone in Cabinet will fit that description to a point,  ...

I presume with time everyone becomes a "yes man" when there's such a thing as a "party whip"  ;D

:cheers:

 

[sandyson]

After the defence policy is published with or without dollars, we will know whether or not he was effective as MND. Until then, we now know he's not perfect vet. If he had had his foot on a bar rail, no notice would have been made of the remark.

 

[dapaterson]

If he had had his foot on a bar rail, no notice would have been made of the remark.

Best comment on the whole affair.

 

[Kat Stevens]

And if me auntie had bollocks she'd be me uncle.  He said it where and when everyone was likely to get wind of it. Fluffing up your feathers in the mess over a few G ant Ts and a polite game of cabbage football is not what he did. Decorum and all that, dear boy.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

After the defence policy is published with or without dollars, we will know whether or not he was effective as MND. Until then, we now know he's not perfect vet. If he had had his foot on a bar rail, no notice would have been made of the remark.

He lied to an international audience of government officials while acting as a representative of the Canadian government. More than once if I read things correctly. That's the bottom line no matter how people try to slice it. His valour and commitment are not in question. It seems to me people are upset about his integrity, which is understandable.

 

[daftandbarmy]

He lied to an international audience of government officials while acting as a representative of the Canadian government. More than once if I read things correctly. That's the bottom line no matter how people try to slice it. His valour and commitment are not in question. It seems to me people are upset about his integrity, which is understandable.

“Mine honor is my life; both grow in one.
Take honor from me, and my life is done.”

Richard II

 

[ModlrMike]

“Mine honor is my life; both grow in one.
Take honor from me, and my life is done.”

Richard II

Seeing as we're quoting Shakespeare, perhaps Macbeth Act 5 Scene 5

I'll let you guess at the part I mean.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Seeing as we're quoting Shakespeare, perhaps Macbeth Act 5 Scene 5

I'll let you guess at the part I mean.

Out, out brief candle!

 

[Loachman]

If he had had his foot on a bar rail, no notice would have been made of the remark.

There are many things that many of us have said with a foot on a bar rail that, if said in a public venue, would have had severe consequences.

 

[The Bread Guy]

He lied to an international audience of government officials while acting as a representative of the Canadian government. More than once if I read things correctly ...

Once internationally, once (at laeast) nationally ...

 

[Fishbone Jones]

milnews.

 

[Kirkhill]

I have refrained on this one -

I am not a Liberal fan but rereading the start of this thread got me to thinking again.

Sajjan, in India says that he was "the Architect of the Operation"

Apparently, if we can believe him, he gained the phrase from a compliment the CDS paid him.

In terms of that compliment, it seems to me that, rather than the tactical planning of the operation he was specific, in the first instance, of claiming credit for shaping the battlefield through gaining the trust of the locals and thereby gaining intelligence that informed, and may even have prompted the decision to launch, Operation Medusa. 

The actual Operation itself would be still to the credit of all of the Commanders and Planners and Operators that made Medusa a success.

It seems to me that he may have a case for being one of the thousand fathers of a successful operation, and may even have a case for being seminal, if the CDS's compliment can be taken at face value.

On the other hand, it's never appropriate to blow your own horn.  Despite the influence of politicians.

My sympathies are with the MND on this one.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

I have refrained on this one -

I am not a Liberal fan but rereading the start of this thread got me to thinking again.

Sajjan, in India says that he was "the Architect of the Operation"

Apparently, if we can believe him, he gained the phrase from a compliment the CDS paid him.

In terms of that compliment, it seems to me that, rather than the tactical planning of the operation he was specific, in the first instance, of claiming credit for shaping the battlefield through gaining the trust of the locals and thereby gaining intelligence that informed, and may even have prompted the decision to launch, Operation Medusa. 

The actual Operation itself would be still to the credit of all of the Commanders and Planners and Operators that made Medusa a success.

It seems to me that he may have a case for being one of the thousand fathers of a successful operation, and may even have a case for being seminal, if the CDS's compliment can be taken at face value.

On the other hand, it's never appropriate to blow your own horn.  Despite the influence of politicians.

My sympathies are with the MND on this one.

;D ;D ;D

Watching Fight Club should be part of a remedial training package for the MND. 

 

[Loachman]

It seems to me that he may have a case for being one of the thousand fathers of a successful operation

Yes. Agreed.

Had he said "an" instead of "the", most likely nothing much would have been said. Such a claim might not be strictly correct, but it would be easily defensible if it was even noticed.

 

[The Bread Guy]

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 ...

op:

 

[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?

 

[Cloud Cover]

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.

:cheers:

 

[Colin Parkinson]

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