Canada: Sajjan very popular minister

TORONTO: While two-thirds of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet colleagues are “unknown to at least half the country”, national defence minister Harjit Sajjan enjoys high visibility and is among those whose performance gets the most credit, according to a survey by opinion research foundation Angus Reid Institute.

While 75% of respondents were aware of finance minister Bill Morneau, Sajjan was next, at 71%. However, that recognition may not be a positive for Morneau, as the institute noted: “At the top is Finance Minister Bill Morneau, though perhaps not for the reasons he would like. In recent months, opposition critics have accused Morneau of ethics violations.”

Sajjan’s popularity, on the other hand, is trending in the other direction. “Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan receives a good job performance assessment from four-in-ten Canadians. Sajjan faced criticism early in 2017 for embellishing his role in a key operation in Afghanistan, but appears to have settled into favour with many Canadians,” it said.

In April, Sajjan faced criticism and even calls for resignation after a speech he gave during a trip to India, in which he claimed to be the “architect” of a 2006 offensive while stationed in Afghanistan. He appears to have weathered that political storm.