Canada defence minister Harjit Sajjan among most popular members of Trudeau cabinet | World News - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Canada defence minister Harjit Sajjan among most popular members of Trudeau cabinet

Hindustan Times, Toronto | By, Toronto
Nov 25, 2017 10:17 AM IST

After facing criticism earlier this year, Canada’s minister of national defence Harjit Sajjan has received a good job performance assessment from four-in-ten Canadians.

While two-thirds of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet colleagues are “unknown to at least half the country”, national defence minister Harjit Sajjan enjoys high visibility and is among those whose performance gets the most credit, according to a survey by opinion research foundation Angus Reid Institute.

File photo of Canada's defence minister Harjit Sajjan visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar on April 20, 2017.(AFP)
File photo of Canada's defence minister Harjit Sajjan visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar on April 20, 2017.(AFP)

While 75% of respondents were aware of finance minister Bill Morneau, Sajjan was next, at 71%. However, that recognition may not be a positive for the Canadian finance minister, as the institute noted in a statement: “At the top is Finance Minister Bill Morneau, though perhaps not for the reasons he would like. In recent months, opposition critics have accused Morneau of ethics violations.”

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Of those polled, 43% believe Morneau is doing a “bad job”, far outstripping the 23% who give him the thumbs-up. 

Sajjan’s popularity, on the other hand, is trending in the other direction, according to the statement. “Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan receives a good job performance assessment from four-in-ten Canadians. Sajjan faced criticism early in 2017 for embellishing his role in a key operation in Afghanistan, but appears to have settled into favour with many Canadians,” it said.

In April, Sajjan faced criticism and even calls for resignation after a speech he gave during a trip to India, in which he claimed to be the “architect” of a 2006 offensive while stationed in Afghanistan. He appears to have weathered that political storm in the public eye.

Leading the pack in terms of approval is Canada’s foreign affairs minister Chrystia Freeland. “Renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement have occupied much of Freeland’s bandwidth over the course of 2017, and it appears Canadians are happy with her performance to this point,” the institute said.

The other three Indo-Canadian cabinet ministers enjoy a far lower profile among the public. Of them, 49% are aware of minister of innovation, science and economic development Navdeep Bains, with a third satisfied with his work.

Just 38% know of Bardish Chagger, minister of small business and tourism and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. And 30% believe she is doing a “good job”.

Only 37% are aware of infrastructure and communities minister Amarjeet Sohi. He is also among the handful with the dubious distinction of having more people disapprove of his work than approve, 29% against 27%.

That distinct group with a negative performance score includes Morneau and minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship Ahmed Hussen.

As the survey pointed out, this really is the ‘Trudeau Government”, as the prime minister continues to enjoy more than 50% approval, a number not matched by any of his cabinet colleagues.

“While Trudeau is no stranger to the spotlight, most of his cabinet toils far away from it, maintaining a relatively low profile – at least – when it comes awareness in the Canadian consciousness,” Angus Reid Institute commented on that phenomenon.

Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away! - Login Now!

Get Latest World News along with Latest News from India at Hindustan Times.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    author-default-90x90

    Anirudh Bhattacharya is a Toronto-based commentator on North American issues, and an author. He has also worked as a journalist in New Delhi and New York spanning print, television and digital media. He tweets as @anirudhb.

SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On