Conservatives to Question Sajjan and Defence Budget

By: Amanda Connolly, iPolitics 

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan will face a grilling tonight on the main estimates for his department.

The Conservative opposition gave notice on May 2 that they would be calling Sajjan and Finance Minister Bill Morneau to committees of the whole to answer questions about their department’s fiscal plans.

Liberal House Leader Dominic Leblanc announced on Thursday that Sajjan’s appearance would happen today.

The opposition parties will get four hours to question Sajjan about his department’s fiscal priorities.

It’s not clear yet whether Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose will be in the House for the questioning but defence critic James Bezan will be.

Bezan said in an email to iPolitics that the party is concerned about the government’s decision to punt funding for major procurements until 2022, in its last budget.

“The Conservative Party holds the Canadian Armed Forces in high regard and this is an opportunity to question the Minister on issues that affect our troops and national defence policy,” Bezan said.

“We have concerns over the Liberals’ decision to cut funding for major procurement projects in their first budget. DND was the only department to have its budget cut. We want to know how these cuts will impact our troops. The committee of the wholeon Monday will be an opportunity for our caucus to raise these concerns directly with the minister.”

The committee of the whole is expected to wrap up around midnight.