Sajjan Faces Continued Criticism Over MEDUSA Claims

By: David Pugliese, Defence Watch 

It was another tough day for Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.

He tried to change the channel Wednesday with a speech that bluntly outlined the problems that the Canadian military and the DND face as far as money and resources.

But most of the questions he faced from journalists were still about his Op Medusa claims.

As readers know, in an April 18 speech during his trip to India, Sajjan made this claim about Operation Medusa: “On my first deployment to Kandahar in 2006, I was kind of thrown into an unforeseen situation and I became the architect of an operation called Operation Medusa where we removed over, about, 1,500 Taliban fighters off the battlefield. And I was very proud to be on the main assault of that force,” he said.

Claiming to be the architect of Medusa was seen as an embarrassing exaggeration by some and by others as a blatant lie. Over the last several days Sajjan has been called out by military personnel as well as members of the public. Sajjan issued a clarification/statement of regret but that didn’t seem to quell the anger.

On the weekend he issued an apology on his Facebook page.

That hasn’t done much to ease the situation.

The Conservatives are continuing their strategy of raising questions about Sajjan’s credibility. They have pointed to the Op Medusa “architect” claims and statements that Canada’s allies had no issues with the pull-out of CF-18s from the Iraq campaign, when they clearly did.

The NDP have raised questions about conflict of interest in regard to the Afghan detainee issue. As minister, Sajjan, an Afghan war veteran, decided against an inquiry into allegations of abuse of detainees. But the NDP argue he may have had indirect/direct knowledge of detainee issues so he could be in a conflict of interest on making a decision against an inquiry.

Parliament’s ethics commissioner gave Sajjan a clean bill of health on this file.

But the commissioner is now reviewing a request by NDP leader Tom Mulcair to reconsider her decision.

All this means that Sajjan will be in the news for the next little while.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is said to like Sajjan and has, for now, stood behind him.

How long will that last?

One potential scenario is that Sajjan will stick around long enough to deliver the Liberal government’s new defence policy. And then a short time later he will leave in a cabinet shuffle.

Cabinet Committee deciding on final options to replace Canada CF-18s

By: Daniel Leblanc, The Globe and Mail 

A seven-member federal cabinet committee is drawing up final options to replace Canada’s aging fighter jets, sources say – and the ministers include Transport Minister Marc Garneau, who openly advocated against the purchase of Lockheed-Martin F-35s in recent years.

Government officials said the cabinet committee is working to refine the choices that will eventually be put in front of the full cabinet, where there will be a debate before the government makes a final call. The acquisition of the new fighter jets is estimated to cost at least $9-billion, plus decades of maintenance and operation costs.

“We may have no bigger or more complex [decision to make] this mandate,” a senior Liberal official said

The Liberals promised in last year’s election campaign not to buy the F-35, but once in government, they committed to holding an “open and transparent” competition to select the new aircraft.

However, the government has been putting growing emphasis in recent weeks on the “urgent” need to find a replacement for the three-decade-old fleet of CF-18s, and critics, including Conservatives, accuse the Liberals of rigging the process to purchase a fleet of Boeing Super Hornets at the expense of the F-35. That aircraft had long been championed by the previous government.

Retired lieutenant-general Ken Pennie, who is a former head of the Air Force, said he hopes the government will make its choice based on the need to protect the country’s territory instead of political considerations.

“I think there should be a competition based on the requirement to defend Canada,” he said in an interview. “I don’t know what that requirement is today, but it has to be something that will be effective against what the Russians are going to put on the table in the next 20, 30, 40 years.”

Sources said the file is currently in front of the cabinet “ad hoc” committee on defence procurement, which is chaired by Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr.

The other members of the committee are Treasury Board President Scott Brison, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, Procurement Minister Judy Foote, Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains, Science Minister Kirsty Duncan and Mr. Garneau.

When he was in opposition, Mr. Garneau repeatedly slammed the F-35 for having a single engine, saying the aircraft would put pilots at risk in the event of engine failure in the Arctic. The Super Hornet, while featuring older technology than the F-35, has two engines.

“All things being equal, two engines are better than one,” Mr. Garneau said in 2011.

Mr. Garneau added the manufacturer should have to guarantee that 100 per cent of the value of its aircraft would be reinvested in Canada. The F-35 project does not include traditional regional benefits, but rather opportunities for Canadian firms to bid on work for the aircraft’s international production line.

“We know we can get a better deal for Canadians, with guaranteed offsets,” Mr. Garneau said at the time.

During Question Period on Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was critical of the F-35, which has faced delays and technological challenges in recent years, as an aircraft “that doesn’t work.”

Former CF-18 pilot Billie Flynn, who now works for Lockheed-Martin as an F-35 test pilot, disputed the Prime Minister’s characterization. In an interview on Wednesday, Mr. Flynn said the so-called “fifth-generation” F-35 is already operational with the U.S. Marine Corps, meaning it could “go to war” right away.

“The F-35 is better, more capable than any fourth-generation aircraft that flies today, period,” Mr. Flynn said.

He added the F-35 beat out the Super Hornet and other fighter jets in a recent competition in Denmark, not only in terms of technical capabilities, but also cost.

Project Resolve: Navy's iAOR on HOLD

According to CBC's James Cudmore - the Liberal government has chosen to delay approval for the final contract to Davie Shipbuilding for the Asterix boxship to be fully converted into an Interim Auxiliary Oil Replenishment Vessel.

According to the CBC, the potential 7-year lease is estimated at $700 million, where the RCN will be given the option to purchase the Asterix at the en of the lease agreemnt.

The Liberal Cabinet commitee decided to delay the decision on whether or not top proceed with with the Project - a delay of possibly 2 months - all while Davie is already doing work.

If the government does not sign the final contract before November 30th, they will owe Davie $89 Million - as it was written into the original offer of intent signed by the Conservative Government.

Davie has already purchased the Asterix and had it delivered to its shipyard in Levis, Quebec earlier this year, and has already begun work.

The big question is whether or not the delay will scuttle the project - and leave the RCN without AOR capabilities until beyond 2021.

The Shipbuilding Association of Canada announced that they are surprised and disappointed in the delay being caused by the Government - saying the delay will only cause more cost to Canadians (as per the $89 million owed to Davie on December 1st if the final contract is not signed, and the potential legal ramifications if the government withdraws from the project - Davie has planned to invest close to $400 million.

According to Davie  they are still moving forward. Project Revolve released this statement:

"The[initial] agreement enabled Davie to commence the build program while the final details of a services agreement (relating to when the vessel enters service following the build) were being concluded and several independent auditors were engaged to assist the Government of Canada with its due diligence.

"We have now agreed all terms and conditions, all audits have been successfully completed and we expect the services contract to be signed before the end of this month.

"In the meantime, work continues onboard m/v Asterix"

CBC sources indicate that Irving Shipyards is to blame for the delay - sending letters to the Liberal Government - asking it to reconsider their initial options for iAORs for the RCN.

There are also allegations from different high-level sources in those same corners that Irving Shipbuilding Inc., a longtime competitor of Davie, meddled in the decision by sending letters to several cabinet ministers about the deal, an event that in the words of one defence source "tipped over the apple cart."

Davie, based in Lévis, Que., has long done government work, but was frozen out of the government's $39-billion National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy. Irving was that strategy's key beneficiary, winning the lion's share of the work available. The lesser portion of the work, the so-called non-combat package, was awarded to Seaspan in Vancouver.

New supply ships are part of that deal, but none are expected to be operational until 2020 at the earliest, leaving Canada with a significant gap in capability.
Liberal ministers were warned Thursday that without guaranteed access to a supply ship, Canada will have "dramatically diminished capabilities to defend Canada" and to go abroad in support of coalition operations, or to aid in natural disaster or support humanitarian missions, CBC News has also learned.

Davie created the idea of the interim supply ship deal in 2014 and pitched unsolicited to government.

Several sources say the idea was viewed with suspicion by bureaucrats inside the government's shipbuilding offices who worried the proposal would undermine or threaten the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy.

The Irving and Seaspan yards subsequently offered their own interim proposals, leading to the bizarre situation of NSPS shipyards offering to build an interim supply ship for Canada that was only necessary because the NSPS program had yet to deliver supply ships.

Whatever those yards offered, the Davie deal appeared to win the Conservative government's favour.
Irving letter to ministers

It's that decision that the Irving team complained about in its letter, obtained by CBC News, and addressed to new Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Minister of Public Services and Procurement Judy Foote. The letter was also sent to President of the Treasury Board Scott Brison and Finance Minister Bill Morneau.

In his letter dated Tuesday, James D. Irving, the firm's co-chief executive officer, accused the government of pursuing a sole-source contract with Davie, despite an offer from Irving and Maersk Lines to provide a lower-cost option.

"This was done on a non-competitive basis without transparency and without a full evaluation of cost, delivery schedule, capability and risk associated with the Irving-Maersk proposal.

Irving requested its proposal be evaluated once more, before the government signs off on the Davie deal.

Emails to several Irving staff went unanswered Thursday.

The Davie deal is, indeed, a sole-source arrangement as Irving complained. But cabinet was told Thursday the deal had won an exemption to the government's contracting regulations and that there was little risk it could be successfully challenged.

Davie has already bought the ship it is to convert and has brought it to its yard on the St. Lawrence River near Quebec City.

In a statement, Davie said it had an agreement with the government.

"All audits have been successfully completed and we expect the services contract to be signed before the end of this month."

Defence Minister's Marching Orders - Top Priority: End RCAF Operations in Iraq and Syria

Written by The Canadian Press, published by CBCNews

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has given new defence minister his marching orders — and Harjitt Sajjan's top priority is to end Canada's combat mission in Iraq and Syria.

The Nov. 6 letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Canadian Press, was also notable for what it didn't say in terms of the other thorny issues facing the new Liberal government.

Sajjan was told to work with Public Services and Procurement Minister Judy Foote on an "open and transparent" competition to replace Canada's CF-18 fighter jets, but the letter makes no reference to excluding the F-35 — something Trudeau promised during the election.

The letter also makes no reference to overhauling National Defence along the lines of retired lieutenant-general — now Liberal MP — Andrew Leslie's transformation report.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has given his cabinet ministers their marching orders. Each new minister received a mandate letter outlining their priorities and duties today. (Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)

Implementing everything in that report, which aimed to give defence less administrative tail and more operational teeth, was also a Liberal promise.

The letter does flesh out what the Liberals have in mind when it comes to re-engaging in United Nations peacekeeping.

The Trudeau government is prepared to make available "Canada's specialized capabilities — from mobile medical teams, to engineering support, to aircraft that can carry supplies and personnel — on a case by case basis."

Sajjan will also be expected to co-ordinate with Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion to help the United Nations "respond more quickly to emerging and escalating conflicts and providing well-trained personnel to international initiatives that can be quickly deployed, such as mission commanders, staff officers and headquarters units."

Harjit Sajjan: New Minister of Defence

On Wednesday, Canada's new Defence Minister was announced. For the first time since Gordon O'Connor, the Defence Minister is a former member of the Canadian Forces - to some a great thing, while to others it could be problematic.

I think the new Defence Minister will usher in a new era for the CAF.

Meet Harjit Sajjan, the first Sikh Member of the Canadian Forces, who challenged the dress code book, to allow him to wear his turban, and keep his facial hair. Sajjan, went on to become the first Sikh Commander of a CAF Unit when he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Canadian Army Reserve.




Sajjan is a former police officer. He served as an office and detective for 11 years in the Vancouver area before joining the Army Reserve.  

During his time with the CAF he was deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina and served three separate deployments to Kandahar, Afghanistan. He received numerous recognition for his service, including the Meritorious Service Medal for reducing the Taliban’s influence in Kandahar Province. 

Sajjan was asked directly by former CAF Commander in Afghanistan Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Andrew Leslie to deploy to Afghanistan where he became an invaluable asset in the fight against the Taliban. Due to his Indian heritage, and his religion, many of the locals trusted Sajjan, and he was instrumental in gaining intelligence on Taliban locations. 

Sajjan's final deployment to Afghanistan came at the request of the United States. They had heard about his success with the locals, and Sajjan accepted a position as a Special Adviser to the American General in Kandahar. U.S sources say Sajjan is directly responsible for helping locate and in some cases eliminate close to 1,500 Taliban fighters. 

Cabinet position: Defence

Degree of difficulty: High

First challenge: Ending Canada’s combat mission in Iraq and Syria.

After that: The Minister will have to help oversee the process of withdrawing Canada from the U.S.-led F-35 stealth fighter jet program. That will also require the Canadian Forces and DND moving forward on a new project to purchase a replacement aircraft for the air force’s CF-18 fighter jets.

Also on the agenda: Dealing with the issue of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Forces and the implementation of the report by Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie, since retired, and now a Liberal MP for Orleans. That report calls for cutting red tape at National Defence headquarters in Ottawa, finding savings that can be directed to key military roles and moving as many as 3,000 staff to jobs that support front-line operations.

New Liberal Government Cabinet

Here is a full list of the New Liberal Government's Cabinet according to CBC.

The New Minister of Defence is Harjit Sajjan. The former CAF member, and was the first Shik member of the CAF, and was commander of the Vancouver based regiment.

The full list of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's new 31-member cabinet, in order of precedene, being sworn in today at Rideau Hall in Ottawa:

Justin Trudeau - Prime Minister, Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth.
Ralph Goodale - Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
Lawrence MacAulay - Agriculture and Agri-Food.
Stéphane Dion - Foreign Affairs.
John McCallum - Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees.
Carolyn Bennett - Indigenous and Northern Affairs.
Scott Brison - Treasury Board President.
Dominic Leblanc - Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.
Navdeep Bains - Innovation, Science and Economic Development.
Bill Morneau - Finance Minister.
Jody Wilson-Raybould - Justice and Attorney General of Canada.
Judy Foote - Public Services and Procurement.
Chrystia Freeland - International Trade.
Jane Philpott - Health.
Jean-Yves Duclos - Families, Children and Social Development.
Marc Garneau - Transport.
Marie-Claude Bibeau - International Development and La francophonie.
James Carr - Natural Resources.
Mélanie Joly - Heritage.
Dianne Lebouthillier - National Revenue.
Kent Hehr - Veterans Affairs, and Associate Minister of National Defence.
Catherine McKenna - Environment and Climate Change.
Harjit Sajjan - National Defence.
MaryAnn Mihychuck - Employment Workforce Development and Labour
Amarjeet Sohi - Infrastructure and Communities.
Maryam Monsef - Democratic Institutions.
Carla Qualtrough - Sport, and Persons with Disabilities.
Hunter Tootoo - Fisheries and Oceans, and Canadian Coastguard.
Kirsty Duncan - Science.
Patricia Hajdu - Status of Women.
Bardish Chagger - Small Business and Tourism