Harjit Sajjan named Minister of National Defence

Harjit Sajjan, Liberal MP for the British Columbia riding of Vancouver South, was today named Minister of National Defence in the new Trudeau government.

Born in India, Mr. Sajjan and his family emigrated to Canada when he was five years old. He grew up in Vancouver.

Mr.Sajjan worked as an officer for the Vancouver Police Department for 11 years, serving in South Vancouver as a detective for the Gang Crime Unit. On his personal website, he notes that he has long advocated for education and mentorship programs that engage the youth to become more active members of society, while strengthening youth defense against the rule of gangs and drugs.

Mr. Sajjan is also a retired Lieutenant-Colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces and a combat veteran. He has deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina and served three separate deployments to Kandahar, Afghanistan. He has received numerous recognition for his service, including the Meritorious Service Medal for reducing the Taliban’s influence in Kandahar Province. He is also a recipient of the Order of Military Merit – one of the military’s highest recognitions.

Mr. Sajjan also served as an Aide-de-Camp to the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. In 2011, he became the first Sikh to command a Canadian Army regiment when he was named commander of the The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own).

Mr. Sajjan is married to Dr. Kuljit Kaur Sajjan, a UBC-educated family doctor, and together they have two young children.