Sikh named Canada’s defence minister

Ottawa, November 4

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The Punjabi community in Canada made history today when two turbaned Sikhs, among four Indian-Canadians, were sworn in as cabinet ministers, as 42-year-old Justin Trudeau took oath as the country's 23rd prime minister at a grand public ceremony here. 

While 42-year-old Indian-Canadian Harjit Sajjan was appointed the defence minister, 38-year-old Navdeep Bains got the portfolio of innovation, science and economic development. Another Sikh, Amarjeet Sohi, who is not turbaned, has been sworn in as the minister for infrastructure. A former bus driver, Sohi was jailed in India for two years in the 1980s.

A young Sikh woman, Bardish Chagger, who is a first-time MP, has been sworn in as the minister for small business and tourism.

Navdeep Bains, who played a key role in Trudeau's election as a Liberal Party leader in 2013, has been awarded with a cabinet berth. Bains, who became an MP for the third time last month by winning from Mississauga-Brampton, previously served as a parliamentary secretary to the prime minister in 2005 while he was an MP (2004 to 2011). Considered very suave, Bains has been a distinguished visiting professor at Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University in Toronto till now. India-born first-time Sikh MP Harjit Sajjan is Canada's new defence minister.

A decorated police and army official, Sajjan has been the first Sikh to command a Canadian regiment—called the Duke of Connaught's Own, a reserve regiment based in British Columbia province.

Sajjan has served in Afghanistan and Bosnia and has been a special adviser on Afghanistan twice. He was given the “meritorious service medal” in March 2013. —IANS