Â鶹´«Ã½

Politics

    • Trudeau defends Sajjan, accuses Tories of slandering embattled defence minister

    Share
    OTTAWA -

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau voiced his support for Harjit Sajjan on Friday after opposition parties banded together in the House of Commons to censure the embattled defence minister.

    The prime minister used part of his opening statement during his first COVID-19 update in a week to tout Sajjan's previous service as a police and military officer before accusing the Conservatives of slandering the minister.

    "We know there's still much more to be done to protect all of those who choose to serve their country," Trudeau said during the virtual news conference from his home where the prime minister is in isolation after travelling to Europe.

    "So it's unacceptable that Conservative politicians would choose to slander Minister Sajjan's reputation instead of working with us to keep Canadians in uniform safe."

    When asked whether he would fire Sajjan, who has been Canada's only defence minister since the Liberals took power in October 2015, Trudeau replied: "He continues to have my confidence that he is the right person for the job."

    The comments came less than 24 hours after the Conservatives forced a vote in the House of Commons late Thursday on a symbolic motion expressing Parliament's disappointment with Sajjan. The motion passed with support from the Bloc Quebecois and NDP.

    All three parties have called separately for Sajjan's resignation.

    Sajjan has been under heavy criticism since former military ombudsman Gary Walbourne revealed several months ago that he first flagged an allegation of sexual misconduct involving then-defence chief Jonathan Vance to the minister in March 2018.

    Sajjan and the Liberal government have said all proper procedures were followed, and Trudeau said the minister is dedicated to leading the change that many say is necessary to address the military's various cultural shortcomings.

    But the Conservatives and some experts say more should have been done with the allegation raised by Walbourne, which Global News has reported relates to a lewd email that Vance allegedly sent to a junior member in 2012, before he became defence chief.

    Vance has denied any wrongdoing.

    Some have also held the minister responsible for the military's failure to address the broader issue of sexual misconduct in the ranks.

    The Conservative motion also criticized Sajjan for his handling of the court case involving vice-admiral Mark Norman and accused him of misleading Canadians about the Liberals' decision to withdraw fighter jets from Iraq and his own service record.

    Documents obtained by the Conservatives in 2017 suggested Iraqi officials were upset with Canada's withdrawal of CF-18s from the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. That appeared to contradict Sajjan's assurances the decision was well received.

    Sajjan was also forced to apologize that same year to Canadian veterans after claiming during a trip to India to have been the "architect" of Canada's largest battle in Afghanistan, Operation Medusa, in 2006.

    Several veterans privately expressed their anger at Sajjan's claim. The minister did not say why he overstated his role in Operation Medusa, which also saw 12 Canadian soldiers killed in what remains the bloodiest operation for the Canadian Armed Forces since Korea.

    The prime minister's defence of Sajjan came shortly after acting chief of the defence staff Lt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre presided over a change of command ceremony darkened by the military's failure to address misconduct in the ranks.

    "These are challenging times for the Canadian Armed Forces, times when we face a serious (and) possibly existential threat not from without, but from within," Eyre said as Vice-Admiral Bob Auchterlonie was installed as head of the Canadian Joint Operations Command.

    "We protect and promote certain values at home and around the world, but it's become ultra-clear we often failed at protecting and promoting these values within our own ranks. And this has come back on us. It has eroded our credibility with Canadians, faith in leadership, and the vital trust that must exist between every member of the Canadian Armed Forces."

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2021.

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

    A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    On Saturday, tensions rose again between Quebec and Ottawa at the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) political conference in Saint-Hyacinthe.

    Some Manitobans are cleaning up Sunday morning, after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province Saturday.

    The eight sons of Richard and Sarah Harvie from Gormanville, N.S., are believed to be the most siblings from one family, from either North America or the British Commonwealth, to serve in World War II.

    Canada

    • Some Manitobans are cleaning up Sunday morning, after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province Saturday.

    • One person is dead after the driver of a pickup truck hit a bench where two people were waiting for the bus in Surrey Saturday afternoon, police have confirmed.

    • The federal government is providing $1.2 billion to help build a new hospital complex on the James Bay Coast, easing residents’ fears that construction wouldn’t start this year.

    • The eight sons of Richard and Sarah Harvie from Gormanville, N.S., are believed to be the most siblings from one family, from either North America or the British Commonwealth, to serve in World War II.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.

    • A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.

    Sports

    Autos

    • A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.

    Local Spotlight

    Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

    From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

    A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

    The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

    A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

    What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

    New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

    • The calculus of predicting an election and identifying its key battlegrounds is complex enough in any race, but observers of the British Columbia poll this month are facing a pair of unknown quantities that make the math even more confounding.

    • One person is dead after the driver of a pickup truck hit a bench where two people were waiting for the bus in Surrey Saturday afternoon, police have confirmed.

    • A massive fire broke out in downtown Langley Saturday morning, destroying a restaurant and forcing several other businesses to close.

    • The Ontario Science Centre is set to launch two temporary satellite locations in other parts of Toronto, which could let visitors access some of its interactive exhibits while a full interim location remains at least a year away, Â鶹´«Ã½ has learned.

    • Leo Campana's stoppage-time goal gave Inter Miami a 1-0 win and left Toronto FC's playoff hopes hanging by a thread Saturday.

    • An investigation is underway after a collision that took place on Deerfoot Trail early Saturday evening.

    • An investigation is underway into a fire and explosion that took place Saturday night in northeast Calgary.

    • Nanton RCMP are on scene Sunday morning at a serious single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Highway 533 and Range Road 118.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say a man has died after striking obstacles on the St. Lawrence River while driving a personal watercraft.

    • The annual RBC Race for Kids raised $830,000 in support of a historic redevelopment for eastern Ontario's largest children's hospital.

    • Alexandre Look, a 33-year-old Montreal native, was among the concertgoers who were murdered a year ago Monday at the Supernova music festival during a brutal assault on Israel carried out by Hamas militants. He is among at least eight people, either Canadian citizens or with ties to Canada, who died during the Oct. 7 attacks.

    • Police released the identities of the mother and daughter who were killed after a fire tore through a 160-year-old building in Old Montreal on Friday.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sent a pointed reply on Saturday to Quebec Premier François Legault's suggestion that half of the asylum seekers already settled in Quebec should be forcibly moved to other provinces.

    • The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot thanks to a win over the Edmonton Elks.

    • Highway 39 near Warburg was closed Saturday after a serious crash involving a motorcycle and a van.

    • An estimated four billion birds will navigate man-made environments as they travel south from North America during fall migration. Tens of million of them will die en route due to human-created hazards.

    • RCMP in Sussex, N.B., are asking the public for help locating a missing 61-year-old woman from Wards Creek, N.B.

    • A broken wastewater pipe has prompted Halifax Water to ask Quinpool area residents to reduce water usage while crews make repairs Sunday.

    • The eight sons of Richard and Sarah Harvie from Gormanville, N.S., are believed to be the most siblings from one family, from either North America or the British Commonwealth, to serve in World War II.

    • Some Manitobans are cleaning up Sunday morning, after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province Saturday.

    • It’s 1998. Google was just born, and dial-up was the primary way to connect to the Internet. New sites were being developed daily on any number of topics, from recipes to shopping. David Yanciw, however, was thinking big - big things, that is.

    • Communities outside of the perimeter aren’t immune to the housing and affordability struggles seen in Winnipeg.

    • The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot thanks to a win over the Edmonton Elks.

    • Saskatchewan's two major political parties made campaign stops in Moose Jaw Saturday with both promising to invest into the city if elected on Oct. 28.

    • A wind warning was issued for parts of southern Saskatchewan, with gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour (km/h) possible in some areas on Saturday, Environment and Climate Change Canada says.

    • The Huron Ontario Provincial Police said they responded to a “downed airplane†just after 11 a.m. Saturday.

    • Police say they were called to the area of Simcoe Street and Market Street around 1:30 a.m. Saturday for a report of an assault.

    • The Oktoberfest Parade is fast approaching and organizers are urgently seeking volunteers to fill the role of sign carriers.

    • The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot thanks to a win over the Edmonton Elks.

    • The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation hosted a virtual election forum on education Thursday evening, giving candidates in the provincial election a chance to share their thoughts and answer questions on issues teachers find most important.

    • A permanent memorial at the site of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash is about to be a step closer.

    • Permanent funding provided to London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and other hubs hopes to improve quality of life for patients on ventilators.

    • The London Knights continue to get players back from NHL training camps but while the roster takes shape, wins have been tough to come by in the early season.

    • OPP are seeking assistance in their search for a 30-year-old man last seen in Orillia.

    • The first Sunday of October was also the first Sunday of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which meant hundreds wore pink and attended the CIBC 'Run for the Cure' event in Barrie.

    • Provincial police are investigating a collision along Highway 400 in Tay Township Friday afternoon.

    • This morning just before 7:00 a.m., OPP responded to a collision in which a vehicle struck a pedestrian on the roadway.

    • The Windsor Lancers dropped their first OUA football game of the season 45-40 Saturday in Guelph.

    • Bubi’s Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.

    • The calculus of predicting an election and identifying its key battlegrounds is complex enough in any race, but observers of the British Columbia poll this month are facing a pair of unknown quantities that make the math even more confounding.

    • Police on Vancouver Island have made an arrest in the case of a 78-year-old woman found dead in her home almost two years ago.

    • NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.

    • Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week – and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.

    • While the summer may be over, construction season in Lethbridge is not.

    • Lethbridge police executed dozens of warrants and laid numerous charges in another targeted enforcement project in the downtown area.

    • A person was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash in Taber, Alta., on Friday morning. Taber RCMP responded to the scene on Highway 864 around 10:30 a.m., for a crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck.

    • A drug raid on a home on the Far North Attawapiskat First Nation last week resulted in two local residents being charged and more than $50,000 in suspected narcotics, including methamphetamine, being seized.

    • The Ontario College of Family Physicians has presented awards to 750 doctors based on comments from patients, including eight physicians who are part of the Group Health Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.

    • Two teens, ages 14 and 19, have been charged with arson in connection with a July 14 fire in Cat Lake First Nation that destroyed $500,000 in construction materials.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹´«Ã½