Harjit Singh Sajjan - Coming to Canada

Harjit Sajjan: A Story of Hard Work, Honour and Service

Well now, if you’ve ever wondered how someone who arrived in Canada as a young lad helped shape the very fabric of our country, from the streets of South Vancouver to the Cabinet table in Ottawa. Then you’re going to enjoy this tale. It’s the story of Harjit Singh Sajjan, a man whose journey took him from humble beginnings all the way to becoming one of Canada’s most recognisable public servants.

Coined the "Badass" Defence Minister by the CBC, Sajjan served as Canada’s Minister of National Defence beginning in 2015. He also filled in as acting Minister of Veteran Affairs in 2019 — no small feat for any Canadian, let alone someone who came to this country with so little.

Early Life: From India to the Shores of Canada

Harjit Singh Sajjan was born on September 6, 1970 in Bombeli, a tiny farming village tucked away in the Indian state of Punjab. His father, Kundan Sajjan, was a head constable with the Punjab Police. In 1976, when Harjit was just a wee boy of five, the family immigrated to Canada to join his father in British Columbia, where he worked long days in a sawmill.

Life wasn’t easy. His mother and sister picked berries in the summer sun across fields in BC to put food on the table while young Harjit and his sister tagged along, learning tough lessons in sacrifice and work ethic that would stay with him his whole life.

The Soldier and the Policeman

Out on Canada’s West Coast, Sajjan grew up straddling culture and identity, finding his own way. He joined the Canadian Army Reserve in 1989 as a trooper with The British Columbia Regiment, eventually rising to lieutenant-colonel. Over his military career, he was deployed four times: once to Bosnia and three times to Afghanistan.

Between deployments, he also served as a detective in the Vancouver Police Department’s gang crimes unit for 11 years, working alongside folks from all walks of life and living out the true spirit of community service.

Afghanistan and Operation Medusa

Harjit’s first tour in Afghanistan came in 2006, shortly after Operation Medusa began. He was a liaison officer, working with Afghan police alongside Canadian troops. Speaking Punjabi, and without needing a translator, helped him connect with local elders and tribes, building bridges that others could only dream about.

That operation was fierce. Between September 2 and 17, 2006, four Canadian soldiers were killed in action. Yet his commanding officer, General David Fraser, described Sajjan’s performance as "nothing short of brilliant", going so far as to call him “the best single Canadian intelligence asset in theatre.”

The Consulting Years — The “Mystery Company”

After his first Afghanistan tour, Harjit went into consulting, sharing his hard-earned insights on intelligence gathering and strategy with Canadian and American military personnel. He also worked with American policy analyst Barnett Rubin following his article “Saving Afghanistan”, discussing opium economics and Taliban financing.

But here’s the curious part. There is no publicly verified formal name for his consulting company in Canadian corporate registries or mainstream reporting. That’s highly unusual in defence consulting circles, where firms typically operate under a registered name. It seems Harjit’s early consulting work may have been informal or conducted under his personal name.

Later Military Leadership

Sajjan didn’t just talk the talk, he led from the front. In 2011, he became the first Sikh to command a Canadian Army reserve regiment when he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught’s Own). He also received the Meritorious Service Medal and other honours for his leadership in Afghanistan.

From the Barracks to the House of Commons

In 2014, Harjit stepped into politics as a Liberal candidate and was elected MP for Vancouver South in 2015. Soon after, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed him Minister of National Defence. A role he carried with steadfast dedication for six years. Over the next decade, he also served as Minister of International Development and Minister of Emergency Preparedness in the federal cabinet.

Controversies Along the Way

It wasn’t all smooth sailing. There was debate over how Operation Medusa was described, and some parliamentary scrutiny over his handling of military misconduct issues. These episodes made headlines and sparked discussion across Canada’s political landscape.

Stepping Back from Politics

In January 2025, after nearly a decade in elected office, Sajjan announced he would not seek re-election, saying that the increasingly toxic political climate was part of why he was stepping back, and that he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Life After Politics — Juno Industries

But Harjit’s story doesn’t end on the lawn of Parliament Hill. In January 2026, he co-founded Juno Industries Inc., a Vancouver-based defence technology company with the mission of strengthening Canada’s sovereign defence capabilities through cutting-edge autonomous systems. The company raised a $3 million seed round in late 2025, backed by prominent investors including Geordie Rose, founder of D-Wave and Sanctuary AI. Sajjan serves as executive chairman, bringing his decades of experience to bear in guiding Canadian innovation in defence technology.

Juno Industries aims to develop advanced solutions that support modern defence needs at home and among allied partners, especially at a time when Canada is investing billions to modernise its military capabilities.

A Legacy Worth Telling

From a berry field on the Lower Mainland to the front lines of international conflict, from police work to Cabinet leadership, and now to cutting-edge defence innovation, Harjit Sajjan’s life reads like a classic Canadian story, rugged, unexpected, and full of grit. He came to this country as a boy, and he’s walked a path that shows what sacrifice, service, and heart can accomplish in a land that still believes in second chances and big dreams.