Sunday 20 Dec 2015: Our new favourite defence minister is Harjit Sajjan.
Not that we’ve made a study of it or anything, but in addition to having a kind and grandfatherly face, the Canadian also thinks national defence isn’t just a question of bombing countries many couldn’t point out on a map.
That’s why he supports his country’s decision to take in 25,000 Syrian refugees following bombardments from their president Assad as well as harsh treatment by Daesh.
‘Not only can we do this, it is the right thing to do,’ he said.
‘This is not just a humanitarian project but it is a way of hitting Isis [Islamic State] as well.’
As the US and European countries bicker about whether we should be taking in refugees, Canada just got on with it. The Independent reports Harjit as saying the country is ‘showing the Syrian people that Isis is creating this environment, but we are standing by them and we will continue to do so.’
The minister added: ‘Of course, it is important for any government to address security and other concerns of people over this and we have described fully all the steps we are taking, the security vetting, the health screening … before they get on the plane.
‘We also believe these people will make an important contribution to Canada; among the people I met … were a couple who were both doctors, who used to run a clinic before they left. If they were that successful in Syria, I suspect they will be very successful in Canada.’
His own Sikh family moved across the Atlantic from India when he was five years old.
The former soldier has frontline combat experience, having completed three tours of Afghanistan and one in Bosnia. He became the first Sikh to command a Canadian regiment and even invented a gas mask allowing people to wear a beard (the US bars men with beards from the front line).
He has also served in the gang warfare and organised crime department of the Vancouver Police.
If the Canadian cabinet was a boyband Justin Trudeau would surely take the Justin Timberlake frontman slot – but Harjit would be backing him right up.
On the other hand, here in Britain we have Michael Fallon. Fine.