With the recent appointment of the first turbaned Sikh, Mr. Harjit Singh Sajjan as Canada’s Minister of National Defense on November 4th, 2015, many media outlets reached out to the Centre for Indo Canadian Studies, and its Director, Ms. Satwinder Kaur Bains on the significance of this moment. According to the official website for the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Justin Trudeau:
Harjit is a retired Lieutenant-Colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces and a combat veteran. He was deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina and served three separate deployments to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Harjit has received numerous recognitions 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. Harjit also served as an Aide-de-Camp to the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.
Harjit was a police officer with the Vancouver Police Department for 11 years. He completed his last assignment as a Detective-Constable with the Gang Crime Unit specializing in organized crime.
Ms. Bains’ interview was featured on the CBC National Edition and the link can be viewed at:
http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2678441431
In addition, articles from The Globe and Mail, and The Toronto Star can be viewed below: