Harjit Sajjan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Harjit Sajjan PC OMM MSM CD
Sajjan in 2023
President of the King's Privy Council for Canada
In office July 26, 2023 – March 14, 2025
Prime Minister	Justin Trudeau
Preceded by	Bill Blair
Succeeded by	Dominic LeBlanc
Minister of Emergency Preparedness
In office July 26, 2023 – March 14, 2025
Prime Minister	Justin Trudeau
Preceded by	Bill Blair
Succeeded by	David McGuinty
Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada
In office October 26, 2021 – March 14, 2025
Prime Minister	Justin Trudeau
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Gregor Robertson
Minister of International Development
In office October 26, 2021 – July 26, 2023
Prime Minister	Justin Trudeau
Preceded by	Karina Gould
Succeeded by	Ahmed Hussen
Minister of National Defence
In office November 4, 2015 – October 26, 2021
Prime Minister	Justin Trudeau
Preceded by	Jason Kenney
Succeeded by	Anita Anand
Minister of Veterans Affairs
Acting February 12, 2019 – March 1, 2019
Prime Minister	Justin Trudeau
Preceded by	Jody Wilson-Raybould
Succeeded by	Lawrence MacAulay
Member of Parliament for Vancouver South
In office October 19, 2015 – March 23, 2025
Preceded by	Wai Young
Succeeded by	Riding dissolved
Personal details
Born	Harjit Singh Sajjan (1970-09-06) September 6, 1970 (age 54) Bombeli, Punjab, India
Nationality	Canadian
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Kuljit Kaur ​ (m. 1996)​
Children	2
Residence	Vancouver, British Columbia
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Police officer
Military service
Allegiance	Canada
Branch	Canadian Army
Service years	1989–2015
Rank	Lieutenant-Colonel
Unit	Royal Canadian Regiment
Commands	British Columbia Regiment
Conflicts / operations	Bosnian War NATO intervention War in Afghanistan Operation Medusa
Awards	Order of Military Merit Meritorious Service Medal Canadian Forces' Decoration South-West Asia Service Medal General Campaign Star Commendation Medal NATO Service Medal Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal
Police career
Current status	Retired
Department	Vancouver Police Department
Rank	Detective

Harjit Singh Sajjan (born September 6, 1970) is a Canadian politician who has had a long career serving Canada, both in the military and in government. As a member of the Liberal Party, Sajjan was elected to the House of Commons in 2015. He represented the area of Vancouver South as a Member of Parliament (MP) until 2025.

Before becoming a politician, Sajjan was a detective with the Vancouver Police Department and a lieutenant-colonel in the Canadian Army. He was the first Sikh person to be Canada's Minister of National Defence. He was also the first Sikh Canadian to lead a Canadian Army reserve regiment.

Over his career, Sajjan has held several important government jobs. These include Minister of National Defence, Minister of International Development, and Minister of Emergency Preparedness.

Early Life and Family

Harjit Sajjan was born on September 6, 1970, in a village called Bombeli in Punjab, India. His father, Kundan Singh Sajjan, was a police officer in India.

When Harjit was five years old, he moved to Canada with his mother and older sister in 1976. His father had already moved to British Columbia two years earlier to work at a sawmill. The family settled in South Vancouver. To help the family, his mother worked on berry farms, and Harjit and his sister often helped her.

Sajjan is married to Kuljit Kaur, a family doctor. They married in 1996 and have a son and a daughter. As a teenager, Sajjan was baptized as a Sikh. He has said that his faith helped him stay on a good path.

Military and Police Career

Sajjan had two impressive careers at the same time: one in the military and one as a police officer.

Service in the Canadian Army

In 1989, Sajjan joined The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own), a reserve unit of the Canadian Army. He started as a trooper and became an officer in 1991. Over the years, he rose to the high rank of lieutenant-colonel.

He served on four overseas missions: one in Bosnia and Herzegovina and three in Afghanistan. Because of his Sikh faith, Sajjan has a beard. Standard military gas masks did not fit him, so in 1996 he invented and patented his own gas mask that worked with his beard.

In 2011, he became the first Sikh to command a Canadian Army reserve regiment, leading The British Columbia Regiment.

Work as a Police Officer

After returning from his mission in Bosnia, Sajjan joined the Vancouver Police Department. He worked there for 11 years. He became a detective in the gang crimes unit, where he focused on organized crime.

He took time off from the police force for his military deployments to Afghanistan. After his third tour in 2010, he left the police department to focus on his military and consulting work.

Deployments to Afghanistan

Sajjan's skills were very valuable in Afghanistan. During his first deployment in 2006, he worked as a liaison officer, helping the Canadian military communicate with the Afghan police. He realized that problems in the Afghan government were making it easier for the Taliban to find new members.

His commander, Brigadier General David Fraser, was very impressed with his work. Fraser said Sajjan's intelligence work was "nothing short of brilliant" and that it saved many lives. For his service, Sajjan received several awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal.

Political Career

Sajjan speaking at the Halifax International Security Forum in 2016

Sajjan with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis in 2018

In 2015, Harjit Sajjan was elected to Parliament to represent Vancouver South. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed him as the Minister of National Defence. He held this important role from 2015 to 2021.

Later, he served as the Minister of International Development from 2021 to 2023. After that, he became the Minister of Emergency Preparedness.

Controversies During His Career

During his time in politics, Sajjan faced some challenges and criticism.

Role in Operation Medusa

In 2017, Sajjan was criticized for a speech in which he called himself "the architect" of Operation Medusa, a major military operation in Afghanistan in 2006. At the time of the operation, Sajjan was a major, and the main planning was done by higher-ranking officers like generals and colonels.

Some military members felt his comment was an exaggeration. Sajjan later apologized, saying it was a mistake to call himself "the architect." He explained that the success of the operation was due to the hard work of the entire Canadian Forces team. Prime Minister Trudeau supported him, and he kept his job as minister.

Handling of Military Issues

Sajjan was also criticized for how he handled serious issues of misconduct within the Canadian Armed Forces. In 2021, the House of Commons officially expressed its disapproval, known as a censure, for his leadership on this issue.

Kabul Evacuation

In 2024, news reports said that during the evacuation of Kabul in 2021, Sajjan directed Canadian special forces to rescue a group of about 225 Afghan Sikhs. Some military sources said this used resources that could have helped evacuate Canadian citizens or Afghans who had worked for Canada.

Sajjan stated that he only passed along information about the group to the military. However, Canada's top general said the military was following "legal orders." This led to calls for an investigation into his actions.

Request for Soldiers at a Concert

In 2024, it was reported that Sajjan, as Minister of International Development, had asked for 100 soldiers to appear on stage during a pop concert for the Punjabi musician Diljit Dosanjh. The Canadian Forces turned down the request. A spokesperson for Sajjan explained that the request was made because Dosanjh is a major international artist.

Honours and Decorations

Sajjan has received many honours for his military service.

Ribbon	Description	Notes
	Order of Military Merit (OMM)	Appointed Officer (OMM) on 17 October 2012
	Meritorious Service Medal (MSM)	Awarded August 22, 2012 Military Division
	South-West Asia Service Medal	With Clasp "AFGHANISTAN"
	General Campaign Star	South West Asia Ribbon 2 Rotation Bars
	Mentioned in dispatches	Awarded June 4, 2008
	NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia	with FORMER YUGOSLAVIA clasp
	Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal
	Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal	Decoration awarded in 2002 Canadian version
	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal	Decoration awarded in 2012 Canadian version
	Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)	with one Clasp for 22 years of services
	Commendation Medal	From the Secretary of Defense of the United States of America
	Chief of Defence Staff Commendation
	Deputy Minister Award	From the Department of National Defence
	Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards	2016 recipient

Electoral record