Trudeau cabinet minister wanted to use Canada’s military as backdrop for Punjabi singer

David Krayden

Trudeau cabinet minister Harjit Sajjan wanted to use Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel as a backdrop for Punjabi pop star Diljit Dosanjh. Dosanjh, a Sikh from the Punjab region of India, is a well-known entertainer in that country.

As first reported in The Globe and Mail, Sajjan, who was minister of national defense for six years, received a request in April for uniformed military personnel to participate as in Dosanjh’s Vancouver performance on Apr. 27.

It is unclear whether the CAF members were expected to sing or dance. As defense minister in 2017, Sajjan presented Dosanjh with a medal while the singer was touring Canada.

According to a statement from Sajjan, who is now the minister for emergency preparedness, the request was forwarded, “along with his endorsement” to current Minister of National Defence Bill Blair, who asked the CAF to assess the request.

“Minister Sajjan agreed the concert would be a good opportunity for the Canadian Armed Forces to engage with and expand connect to a diverse community of young Canadians, along the lines of the CAF outreach and recruiting events at professional sporting events,” said Sajjan’s press secretary Joanna Kanga.

The Department of National Defence told CBC News that it although it assessed Sajjan’s request it “determined that meeting this request would not be feasible due to the tight timeline and personnel availability.”

“It is crucial that participation in such events does not impact domestic or international operations, and our operational readiness must be sustained at all times,” the statement read.